DHAKA: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said although nursing profession was neglected in the country, it is the most respectable profession.

The premier was addressing as the chief guest at a certificate giving ceremony among the pioneering graduates of the Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Memorial KPJ Specialized Hospital and Nursing College in Gazipur.

The Prime Minister said that only diploma nurse training was given earlier. When we arranged graduation programs for nurses, they will do a Ph.D. They will each be highly educated, build their own. At the same time, her government is working to upgrade the training system for the nurses to an international level.

The prime minister said “We need a large number of nurses. We have built nursing institutes for which specialised nurses are required. And for this, we need to give quality training to them. We have already sent nurses abroad for taking foreign training and are working to make sure they get international level training in the country.”

Describing healthcare service as a noble profession, she said “I hoped that you (fresh graduating nurses), who achieved the certificates through hard working, will engage yourselves in rendering services to the distressed people by applying your acquired knowledge and experience.” 

The premier also said questioning which profession can be more respectable than serving an ailing person and standing beside the distressed humanity? 

Highlighting her government’s initiative to develop graduate and post- graduate nurses, the prime minister said all nurses have to take care of the patients more sincerely as the government has given them honour and elevated their status.

“Once upon a time the nursing profession was mostly neglected despite it is a noble profession, but, we have upgraded the status of nurses to second class and increased their salaries in a bid to encourage people joining the profession,” she said.

Sheikh Rehana, Vice President of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Trust and Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque were present on the occasion as the special guest.

Vice-Chancellor and also Dean of School of Medicine of Malaysian KPJ Healthcare University College Prof Dato' Lokman Saim spoke on the occasion as the graduation speaker.

BDST: 1548 HRS, SEP 18, 2019
RS/SMS