Roadmap to strengthen nursing profession

Islamabad: The Ministry of National Health Services took the first baby step towards devising a roadmap for strengthening of the nursing and midwifery profession in Pakistan by calling a stakeholder meeting to take stock of the situation in hand.

Minister for Health Aamer Mehmood Kiani, Secretary Health Zahid Saeed and Director General Health Dr. Assad Hafeez were prominent at Saturday’s meeting, which was also attended by renowned professionals of international repute, heads of institutes and armed forces’ nursing services, and provincial representatives.

The meeting was focused on sharing the government’s vision to bring the profession at par with international standards, and to meet the country’s requirement to achieve the ‘Health for All’ vision through skilled and trained nurses and midwives. The group appreciated the government’s initiative to lift the profession, enhance the quality of nursing and midwifery through quality education and skill-based training.

The minister was informed that around 100,000 nursing professionals are currently registered with Pakistan Nursing Council (PNC), of which the majority (78,000) have completed diploma in nursing, in addition to around 12,000 LHVs and 7,000 midwives. The country has only 5,000 qualified BSN, 190 with Master’s Degree and 9 PhDs in nursing, which explains the dearth of this faculty in nursing institutes.

Kiani said universal health coverage cannot be achieved without a trained and motivated nursing and midwifery workforce. The country is facing extreme shortage of nursing professionals and there a need to take appropriate short- and long-term actions in the right direction.

“The government will provide all possible support to promote nursing and to meet the demand for qualified nurses. We intend to bring this profession at par with international standards by devising new policies, setting future directions, improving regulations and investment,” Kiani stated.