Protect nurses and midwives to build stronger Nations

No matter where you go, you will find nurses and midwives at every level of care - in clinics, hospitals, homes, communities, in the most remote rural settings and in the busiest urban centres.

They are at the centre of research on improving the quality of care. They are often the first to arrive and the last to leave. They deliver babies, manage chronic illnesses, respond to emergencies, safeguard mental health, and guide families through some of their most difficult moments.

They are our frontline responders, educators, advocates, and caregivers. And when they thrive, nations thrive. When they are supported, communities grow stronger. When we invest in their future, we are investing in our own.

To put it simply: without nurses and midwives, there can be no healthy population. And without a healthy population, no country can sustain economic growth, social cohesion, or resilience in the face of crisis. Nurses and midwives are not just essential — they are indispensable. Their health and wellbeing should be one of our top national priorities.

Caring for nurses means protecting their wellbeing, ensuring safe and supportive workplaces, and prioritising their right to grow and lead. It means empowering them to take charge in the decisions that affect public health, and the tools to respond to the growing challenges of their work.

It also means providing flexibility — recognising that many nurses, particularly women, are balancing multiple responsibilities. Models that allow for part-time shifts or re-entry after career breaks are not just compassionate; they are smart workforce strategies.

Empowerment also comes through education, leadership, and opportunity. At the Aga Khan University (AKU), Our School of Nursing — the first professional nursing programme in Pakistan — was established before the University itself. Its founding marked a clear and early recognition that empowering women is essential to building stronger, healthier societies.

That legacy continues. Today, over 50 degree-awarding nursing schools in Pakistan are led by AKU graduates. Our students come from across Pakistan, East Africa, and beyond — and they carry their skills back to the communities they serve. Their impact is global. Last year alone, three of our Nursing School alumni were named among Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100.

As the world faces increasingly complex challenges and unpredictable climate crises, the role of nurses and midwives continues to rise in importance. To navigate these challenges with success, our frontline workers must remain healthy, well-supported, and prepared for what lies ahead.

Our future lies in giving nurses and midwives the autonomy, leadership opportunities, and advanced training to step into roles that go beyond traditional caregiving. Their potential to address emerging health challenges — from climate-induced health crises to the growing burden of non-communicable diseases — is immense. We must invest in initiatives that allow nurses and midwives to make decisions and innovate in ways that directly improve health systems. In this way we lay the groundwork for stronger, more resilient societies.

AKU’s one-year Advanced Practice Nursing (APN) clinical residency programme—the first of its kind in Pakistan—is one example of how we must respond to the evolving needs of public health. Soon to be launched, the programme is an investment in building the competency of advanced practice nurses who will develop innovative, practical solutions to complex health problems from a scientific perspective. Graduates will be able to provide care in an independent capacity in a number of settings for various patient populations — freeing up resources and ensuring that care is provided efficiently and effectively across the country.

As we celebrate our nurses and midwives on this day, let us also recommit ourselves to systemic change to ensure their good health and wellbeing.
This includes our policies from the national to the organisational levels, which requires collaboration across all sectors — governments, public and private health sector, and educational bodies.

It is not only about funding but sustained efforts to create a supportive framework which integrates and elevates nurses and midwives in the decision-making hierarchies and processes for public health.

We need to collectively take real action in building a global culture of respect, support, and investment in caring for nurses and midwives. Their contributions to healthcare and society are immeasurable, especially in developing countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan. It’s our collective responsibility to ensure they have the resources, tools, and opportunities to do their jobs well and to thrive while doing so.

The author of this blog is Dr Sulaiman Shahabuddin, President, Aga Khan University