In Pakistan, one nurse caters to over 10 patients: healthcare watchdog.

ISLAMABAD -- Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Islamabad Healthcare Regulatory Authority (IHRA) Dr Quaid Saeed on Thursday said the current nurses:patient ratio is 1:10.6 whereas the recommended ratio is 1:4 patients.

He was speaking to participants of an event held in connection with International Nurses Day (IND) held at Maroof International Hospital (MIH) with a theme of 'Our Nurses - Our Future'.

Dr Saeed said nurses worked tirelessly to save lives and look after and care for people with complex health conditions often with little recognition.

'As of 2021 there are over 200 nursing schools and colleges and a University in Pakistan, according to Pakistan Nursing Council. The lack of quality nursing colleges and low pays in both public and private sectors, leads to qualified and capable nurses to seek jobs in other countries,' he said.

However, he announced that new government projects were in the pipeline that included educational institutions to offer quality education up to PhD.

While addressing the ceremony, the hospital CEO Haroon Naseer said the role of nurses in serving humanity can never be neglected. He said nursing department across the globe was the backbone of the medical sector.

'The global pandemic of Covid-19 made it very clear that despite so much...