Government to Appoint Ten Thousand More Nurses: PM

"There is a need for both doctors and nurses in the country to meet the shortage. So, we have decided to recruit 10,000 more nurses in the country and we are creating posts," she said.

The Prime Minister said this while launching the academic activities of Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Memorial KPJ Nursing College at Tetuibari, Kashimpur here.

The institute has been set up on the compound of Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib KPJ Specialized Hospital that was established in 2013 on six acres of land at a cost of Taka 215 crore under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP).

Sheikh Hasina said her government is giving special importance to the nursing profession as it's the best profession.

"When we assumed office in 1996, we also appointed a huge number of nurses at that time by relaxing the policy," she said.

The Prime Minister called upon the new generation to pursue higher specialized education on nursing and dedicate them to serving the distressed humanity. "I deeply honour the nursing profession," she said.

"Yes, a patient usually receives treatment from a doctor. But the patient recovers early with the deep caring touch of a nurse," she said, adding, the nurse also brings comfort and peace to the patient's mind and provides inspiration to him or her.

In view of this, she said, she considers the nursing profession as the best profession.

Sheikh Hasina said once nursing profession was seriously neglected in the country as the nurses were in the class-three category. Besides, there was a provision that only science students could take up the profession.

But after coming to power, she said, her government changed the entire curriculum for the nursing education and created opportunity of higher education like graduation, master's and PhD for them.

"We also encouraged setting up of nursing institutes in public and private sectors and arranged training for them at home and abroad," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said her government has taken massive steps to create qualified and efficient nurses who would be able to work at home and abroad taking the facilities of employment.

Health Minister Mohammad Nasim, Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, Convenor of Project Committee Professor Dr Syed Modasser Ali, State Minister for Health Zahid Malek, Health Secretary Syed Manzurul Islam, Chairman of Joint Committee Major General (retd) Abdul Hafiz Mallik, President and Managing Director of KPJ Healthcare Berhad, Malaysia Hazi Amirudddin Abdul Sattar, and a student of the first batch of the college, Sadia Farhana, also spoke on the occasion.

Member Secretary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Trust Sheikh Hafizur Rahman presided over the function, while Member of Board of Directors of the college Nazmul Hasan Papon, MP, gave the vote of thanks.

Photo: Saiful Islam Kallol