LAHORE: The Punjab Public Health Agency (PPHA) on Sunday arranged a policy roundtable on ‘Finalisation of Policy Recommendations for Nursing and Midwifery in Punjab’.
This was the third dialogue under its Health Policy Roundtable Series. The Policy Roundtable was framed around the WHO Global Health Strategy 2030. The discussions highlighted existing challenges and the required policy interventions to strengthen the Nursing and Midwifery professions in the country.
Punjab, with a population of 110 million faces a critical deficit of qualified and skilled health workers, particularly nurses and midwives. The gaps widen as the population growth outpaces the development efforts. To address these widening gaps, the Government of Punjab has introduced multiple evidence-driven initiatives over the last few years. This included the highest increase ever in the sanctioned posts of nurses over the last two years i.e. 46pc increase in sanctioned seats.
Currently, Punjab has 14 nursing colleges, 55 nursing schools, 12 public health nursing schools, 3 midwifery schools and 19 community midwife training schools, producing 5125 nurses and lady health visitors every year.
A total of 64,846 nurses from Punjab are registered with the Pakistan Nursing Council. As per WHO Global HRH strategy there is a requirement of 4.45 doctors, nurses and midwives per 1000 population, which translates into a need of another 314,697 nurses and midwives in Punjab.
Unless rectified, at the current production rate of 5,125 nurses and midwives per year, this deficit will only widen over the years. Against the recommended 1:3 doctor-nurse ratio, the Punjab standards at 1 doctor for every 0.69 nurse. The policy roundtable aimed at generating a discussion around optimising the utilization of existing nursing workforce; meeting the critical nurses and midwives’ gaps in Punjab; and deliberating on policy various policy options, their merits and demerits.
Conclusive directions were put forth as policy directives for the next five years. Speaking at the occasion, PPHA CEO Dr Shabnum Sarfraz informed that policy recommendations suggested by the participants will guide the development of Punjab HRH Strategic Framework that would define priority actions areas related to nursing education and their engagement in service delivery.
The senior nursing faculty appreciated the recent government endeavours in improving nursing strength in public sector hospitals. The key challenges highlighted by the participants were the weakness of service structure, gaps in education planning and optimisation of the available workforce. Introduction of shorter modules for specializations was suggested.
It was also recommended that a bachelors’ program for midwifery and a cadre for public health nurses be introduced, considering the unique health needs of the province. The need to create speciality programs was emphasised by the nursing DG and controller nursing examinations. The participants also suggested the opening of a nursing college with each medical college.
Everyone strongly endorsed the need to optimize both the production and utilisation of nursing and midwifery workforce in Punjab and increase the creation of new seats in nursing colleges by 100pc, as well as an increase in sanctioned seats by 100pc. With respect to the recent nursing council notification, the participants agreed that further deliberations are required on phasing out of diploma program and developing public health nurses or other specialities.