TERN Group's founder Avinav Nigam, addresses High-Powered gathering to kickoff Indo-German Healthcare Congress in Berlin

Business Standard

3 days ago

VMPL
Berlin [Germany], July 22: TERN Group, a leading force in ethical, AI tech-enabled global healthcare recruitment, proudly supported the Indo-German Healthcare Congress (IGHC) 2025, held in Berlin. Organised under the banner of the Indo-German Young Leaders Forum (IGYLF), the 2 weeks event from 17-31 July 2025, brought together top healthcare leaders, policy experts, and innovators from both India and Germany to address one of the region's most urgent needs: building transparent and future-ready healthcare migration pathways.
The Congress kicked off with a landmark event hosted at the Embassy of India in Berlin. The inaugural event at the Indian Embassy was attended by 150+ stakeholders, exceeding venue capacity with several seen standing - including representatives from 15 of Germany's top 20 university hospitals, regional and national nursing, doctor and hospital associations, and delegates from across cities like Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Munich, Stuttgart, and NRW. Senior leaders from Germany's Federal Ministries of Labour, Health, and Foreign Affairs also participated, along with a delegation of 25+ Indian healthcare innovators and policymakers.
Opening remarks were delivered by representatives from the Federal Ministry - Mr. Thomas Heim, Federal Ministry for Labour and Social Affairs and Mr. Henning Haab, Federal Ministry for Health.
"The turnout in the pouring rain with people travelling from all over Europe and India, made one thing very clear - there's a shared urgency to address healthcare workforce shortages, and a strong appetite for action on both sides," said Avinav Nigam, CEO of TERN Group. "Germany needs talent. India has talent. Our job is to ensure that the bridge between the two is ethical, structured, and supportive for everyone involved."
The highlight of the embassy event was a thought-provoking panel moderated by Dr. Dinesh Antil, First Secretary at the Embassy. The panel included RA Marc Schreiner, Managing Director of the Berlin Hospital Association; Pia Turk, Deputy Head of Integration at Charite - Germany's foremost hospital; Avinav Nigam, CEO of TERN Group and Advisor to India's National Skills Development Council; and Dr. Vishnu Ramdeo, Co-Chair of IGYLF.
Marc Schreiner highlighted bureaucracy as a key barrier, particularly around visas and credential recognition. Pia Turk shared Charite's ongoing work to support the long-term success of international talent, especially admiring Indian talent's work ethic, with 100+ Indian nurses already integrated and a growing commitment to India as a sourcing geography.
Avinav brought a people-first perspective to the table:
"The real journey begins long before the flight. Nurses in India start thinking about moving overseas five or six years in advance, often from the moment they join nursing school," he shared. "We need to meet them where they are, support them with language access, financial continuity, and clarity. The system today expects them to pause their lives and income for nine months just to learn German. That's neither scalable nor fair."
"In Germany, the average starting salary for a nurse is EUR2,800 - EUR3,200, compared to ₹15,000 - ₹25,000 per month in India. That income gap is real, but it's not just about money. It's about dignity, growth, and long-term career prospects. And yet, even with such high stakes, many nurses still face uncertainty, delays, and exploitation."
He also addressed the issue of unethical recruitment:
"There are a lot of scams happening in this space, so people have difficulty in trusting the process," Avinav said. "If we move towards a more end-to-end digital, government-backed system, we can drive more accountability in the supply chain. There is still a seven-layer gap between the employer and the talent and TERN wants to break that into a two-sided play, where employers can meet talent directly."
"When information is unclear, nurses rely on word-of-mouth or fall prey to exploitative agents. Some pay EUR10,000-EUR50,000 just to chase their dreams. That's unacceptable. TERN's role is to rewrite that script - with zero fees, total transparency, and lifelong support," Avinav added.
TERN's commitment to the IGHC went beyond sponsorship. The company flew in a batch of Indian nurses to attend all three days of the Congress, giving them firsthand exposure to Germany's healthcare landscape and direct engagement with future employers. A 10-member TERN team was also present on-ground in Berlin to support the IGYLF organizing committee throughout the event.
As discussions progressed into topics like visa digitization, recognition policy reform, and curriculum harmonization under the newly announced DSP policy, the Health Congress showcased a unified vision for change. These reforms are designed to make migration faster, fairer, and more frictionless.
"This isn't just about filling jobs. It's about building dignity, systems, and long-term success for nurses and health systems alike," Avinav said. "TERN is here for the long haul and so are the nurses we stand with."
The Indo-German Healthcare Congress 2025 continues with a series of events culminating in an exclusive talent-focused summit on July 31 in Berlin, also supported by TERN, reinforcing its position as a long-term partner in the global healthcare mobility movement.
About TERN Group
TERN Group is helping 650,000+ professionals on its platform. TERN Group is a global AI leader in ethical, tech-enabled talent mobility, connecting skilled professionals to overseas opportunities with transparency. Operating in 13+ countries, TERN partners with 80+ German providers, 18+ NHS Trusts, along with GCC, US & Japan clients.