Monthly stipend of nurses to be raised to Rs2,500

KARACHI: The health department has addted 1,100 seats for nurses in government nursing schools, which will raise the total number of seats to 2,200.

In addition, the monthly stipend of nurses in training will also be increased from Rs1,500 to Rs2,500. Provincial Health Secretary Syed Hashim Raza Zaidi made these statements on international day of nurses. He said that the profession of nursing acts as the backbone of the medical field, however, the government hospitals in the province lack qualified nurses. Zaidi added that the summary of increments to the stipend has been sent to the authorities and is pending approval.

He said that the health department has forwarded the summary for the promotion of nurses from grades 16 to grade 17 as well. The chief minister needs to approve this as well as a summary for Rs30 million to repair government nursing schools and hostels. He said that the health department spends millions of rupees annually on the training of nurses. However, due to the lack of vacancies in government hospitals, nurses go to private hospitals or abroad.

The department bears the expenses of nurses’ accommodation at hostels, uniforms and their monthly stipend but the benefits of their training go to private hospitals. The experts suggested that jobs should be created for trained nurses in the health department and the government hospitals.

Published in the  Express Tribune, May 21st, 2010.