Dearth of nurses in public sector hospitals: PNA

MN Report

KARACHI- Provincial Nurses Association’s (PNA) Karachi chapter president Salamati Khokhar has demanded of the health authorities to immediately appoint nurses in public sector hospitals against vacant posts.

Claiming that working of the public sector hospitals across Sindh was being badly affected in the wake of acute shortage of nurses, she said that patients’ care in the hospitals could improve considerably provided nurses are appointed against all the posts lying vacant for the last four years.

Describing nurses as the `backbone of the country’s health care system and patients’ care, she said that government should fill all vacant posts without any further delay, or else working of the public sector hospitals would further deteriorate.

“Work-load on nurses has been increasing with each passing day and it could be gauged from the fact that currently each nurse take care of as many as 100 patients during duty hours daily,” she added.

Ms Khokhar said that on the one hand, there is an acute shortage nurses in the public sector hospitals across Sindh and, on the other, nurses are deprived of promotions, services structure and allowances.

She said that salary and allowances of nurses in Punjab has been increased manifold, a staff nurse in Sindh was still getting a meager salary of Rs11000.

She said highly qualified nurses have been awaiting their due promotions since long while fresh diploma-holders nurses are seeking employment in other countries.