A Senate sub-panel on Tuesday was told that nursing institutions had been running in two-room houses for the last 20 years and ironically, no action had been taken against them during this long period.

The members of the sub-committee demanded that a report on the institutions involved in the irregularities should be submitted to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

A meeting of the sub-panel of the Senate Standing Committee on National Health Services was held at the Parliament House under the chair of PPP Senator Rubina Khalid.

They were told that the matter of institutions linked to the country issuing fake degrees to nurses would be investigated.
Senator Jam Mahtab Hussain Dahar of the PPP expressed his displeasure over the reports of the team that visited the Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council (PNMC).

He criticised the inadequate infrastructure, poor science and computer laboratories, and inconsistencies in reporting — indicating a lack of monitoring capacity.

The sub-committee collectively expressed its disappointment that despite the passage of years, the conditions of these institutions had not improved.

Senator Rubina, the convener of the sub-committee, directed the PNMC to present the details of the nursing institutions, which did not meet the criteria set by the Higher Education Commission (HEC).

The subcommittee determined that the lack of clinical hours for nurses was a major cause of inefficiency in the country’s nursing system.

Senator Rubina emphasised that skill development should be a core part of the curriculum to enhance the existing nursing system.

The HEC officials present at the huddle told the sub-committee they would consult with doctors to increase the clinical hours for nurses appropriately.

The sub-committee also directed the HEC to implement a uniform policy for nurses in hospitals.

Senator Rubina pointed out the shortage of nurses in comparison with doctors. She also recommended having separate uniforms for nurses and doctors to differentiate between the two professions.

Senator Rubina suggested that in view of the absence of a uniform curriculum for Master of Science in Nursing in the country, institutions should make use of the graduates in Bachelor of Science in Nursing.