International Day of Nurses: ‘Nurses serve ailing humanity without discrimination’

Govt is aware of the problems they face and is committed to solving them, says minister.

LAHORE: “Nurses are a symbol of health and hope…they kindle the light that removes hopelessness and despair. The modern healthcare system cannot be imagined without nurses,” Post Graduate College of Nursing Principal Kousar Perveen said at an event held by the Punjab Institute of Cardiology to mark the International Day of Nurses on Tuesday.  Parveen urged nurses to play their role diligently and to promote health education.

The event was attended by Punjab Institute of Cardiology Deputy Chief Nursing Superintendent Samina Yasmeen, senior nurses Shabana Khushi, Nasreen Ghazi, Shumaila Nawaz, Shugufta and Allah Rakhi.

Speaking at the event, Nawaz said that nurses symbolised hope for the ailing. She exhorted them to improve their professional efficiency and capacity to cope with the requirements of the modern age. She said the government must include nurses in its health policy.

Yasmin said Florence Nightingale was considered the pioneer of modern-day nursing, but Hazrat Safia (RA) and wives of the Holy Prophet’s (pbuh) companions who had provided first aid to those injured in various battles were also forerunners of this noble mission.

“Nurses selflessly serve the ailing humanity without discrimination, in peace and in war,” she said. Their services, especially during earthquakes and floods, could not be ignored, Yasmin said.

Uplifting the cadre

The government understands the problems faced by nurses – the frontline of the healthcare system – and is committed to upgrading nursing services, Finance Minister Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman told a delegation of nurses.

He said serving the ailing humanity was one of the noblest professions. He said the government understood that the sector had been neglected in the past and was taking solid steps to boost the morale of the nursing cadre and to upgrade the socio-economic conditions of those attached to the profession.

The minister said that the government had created 3,000 new posts for nurses and allocated Rs1.43 billion for this purpose.

The government had accorded health and education sectors the highest priority, he said.

The budget for health services had been increased and additional resources had been provided to accelerate efforts in order to achieve millennium development goals, he said.

Regularise nurses’ services

Jamaat-i-Islami chief Senator Sirajul Haq said that nurses looked after the sick with a spirit of service that must be commended.

He demanded that the government regularise services of nurses working on ad-hoc basis and fill nurses’ vacancies in hospitals and rural health centres. He demanded that nurses be given facilities according to the grades they were in.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2015.