Online Desk: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called upon youths to engage in nursing education and service on a large scale. “I will call on the youth folk to come forward to take nursing education and engage them in nursing service. It will not only create employment at home but also abroad,” she said. The premier said this while addressing as the chief guest the second graduation ceremony of the Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib Memorial KPJ Nursing College at its campus here, reports BSS.

She said she believed that today’s graduate nurses will apply their acquired knowledge in the workplace. “Bangladesh is moving ahead in every field and we will also move ahead in this (nursing) field, and I want this,” she said. Sheikh Hasina, also the chair of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Trust, said they will establish a medical college from the trust alongside this hospital and nursing college. Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib Memorial KPJ Specialized Hospital and Nursing College (SFMMKPJSH&NC) is named after Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib and was established by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Trust.

At the function, Chief Executive Officer of SFMMKPJSH&NC Mohd Taufik Bin Ismail delivered the welcome address, while graduate student of the second batch Anamul Huq also spoke. KPJ Healthcare Berhad President Norhaizam Binti Mohammad spoke as graduation speaker. Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque and Chairman of the Governing Body of SFMMKPJSH&NC Major General (Retd) Abdul Hafiz Mallick were present.

At the ceremony, the prime minister distributed certificates among 210 graduates of the college. She also handed over the Prime Minister’s Award to six graduate students for their outstanding academic records. A documentary on Sheikh Fazilatunnessa Mujib Memorial KPJ Nursing College was screened at the ceremony. The premier also inaugurated website, hospital management software and medical journal of the hospital. Professor Deen Md. Noorul Haque, former Director General of Health Services, handed over an issue of KPJ Dhaka Journal of Medical Science to the prime minister.

Besides, Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) Commissioner Sheikh Shamsuddin Ahmed handed over the dummy of a Slit Lamp and Operative microscope to Sheikh Hasina. The prime minister said her government is always dignifying the nursing profession and giving priority on it along with working for its development. She said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman established nursing related institutes and took various steps to increase the dignity of nursing profession, development of nursing services and technology. Following the footsteps of the Father of the Nation, Sheikh Hasina said that they have upgraded the nursing profession into second class.

During the Awami League (AL) government from 1996-2001 and from 2009 to till now, she said they have appointed around 38,000 nurses. At the same time, development and recruitment of midwives in the health sector to prevent maternal and child mortality is a significant achievement of the AL government, she added. The premier said at present, importance and reputation of nursing profession is increasing all over the world.

According to Gallup, an analytical organization in the United States, nursing has been named the most trustworthy profession in 2022 as in 2021. “The role of nurses in people’s services along with doctors during the Covid-19 pandemic will be remembered forever,” she said. She mentioned that there is huge demand for nurses in different countries across the world, while it has also demand largely in the country as each district and upazila has hospital, clinic and community clinic as well as maternity service center.

The prime minister said many of this nursing profession could explore jobs abroad learning the targeted country’s language. She, however, said that at first the necessity of the country has to be met before going overseas. Sheikh Hasina briefly highlighted different initiatives of her government for the development of the health and nursing sectors. As part of the initiatives of Awami League government, the old 23 nursing institutes have been upgraded to Nursing Colleges where 4-year B.Sc in Nursing courses and Post Basic courses are being conducted. Besides, another 16 nursing institutes are in the process of being upgraded to nursing colleges. Currently 69 nursing and midwifery institutes are running Diploma, BSc Basic and Post Basic as well as Masters courses at the government level.

The National Institute of Advanced Nursing Education and Research (NIENER) for higher education and research in the field of nursing has been established. Besides, the Awami League government has established 23 new medical colleges in the last 14 years. It has plans to establish medical universities in each division and has already set up medical universities in four divisions. The prime minister said that her government always serves the people and takes required measures to this end. “We can take the credit that we have been able to change Bangladesh during 2009 to 2023 period,” she said.

She also said her government has increased education rate, reduced maternal and child mortality rate, provided electricity in each house, brought health service at people’s door step and is providing medicine through community clinic free of cost. She said her government has taken decision to give insulin free of cost to the diabetes patients of the country through community clinics. “We have decided that we will include insulin in the free medicines of the community clinics across the country for the diabetes patients,” she said. Currently, the government is providing 30 types of medicines through the community clinics. “We will give away insulin free of cost so that the diabetes patients can get relief,” she added.