The President of Pakistan on Saturday ratified a Presidential Ordinance for the restructuring of the Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council (PNMC), thereby dissolving the current leadership, including the President, Vice President and other office-bearers.
Following the ordinance's enactment, all administrative and regulatory powers of the Council have been transferred to the Ministry of National Health Services.
According to the ordinance, a new 19-member committee has been constituted. At its inaugural meeting, the committee will elect a new President and Vice President for the Council. Notably, the Federal Secretary for Health has been granted veto authority over all Council decisions.
The reconstituted committee will comprise the Federal Secretary for Health, the Federal Director General of Health, the Directors-General of Nursing from each of the four provinces, one nurse from the private sector from each province, one Lady Health Visitor (LHV), one certified midwife, a representative of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), and the Chief Nursing Administrator from the Armed Forces Nursing Service.
The Ministry of Health will nominate additional members with the Prime Minister's approval.
All committee members will serve a three-year term. The Council will additionally advertise for the appointment of one philanthropist, one chartered accountant, and one member of the legal committee.
In accordance with the ordinance, the Secretary of the Council must be a registered nurse holding a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). The Secretary will be appointed for a three-year term following a competitive recruitment process.
The restructured Council will have the authority to form an Executive Committee responsible for day-to-day operations. It will also oversee the registration and re-inspection of nursing colleges across the country.
Furthermore, the ordinance stipulates that the Accreditation Committee must be independent of the Council, and all members must submit a conflict-of-interest declaration prior to undertaking any inspections.
The Council will conduct unannounced inspections of affiliated colleges and institutions throughout the year. It will also hold a National Registration Examination (NRE) three times annually to assess the equivalence of foreign nursing and midwifery qualifications.
Crucially, the ordinance also contains provisions to safeguard the rights and employment of existing Council staff.
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