ISLAMABAD: Minister for National Health Services Saira Afzal Tarar has hailed the appointment of Pakistan’s first ever Ph.D. nurse as President of Pakistan Nursing Council (PNC).
Dr. Rafat Jan was appointed through election held on 14th October and Ms. Surriya Shahnaz as Vice President of PNC.
The Minister of State for National Health Services, Regulation and Coordination in a statement Thursday said the appointment of a highly qualified nurse as President would enhance the prestige of the nursing profession and go a long way in strengthening this profession.
Dr Rafat Jan did her PhD in nursing informatics from school of nursing and midwifery, University of IOWA, USA and is presently working as Professor at the faculty of health science.
She is also President of Midwifery Association of Pakistan and chair midwifery alliance of Asia. Whereas Ms Surriya Shahnaz Principal Nishtar CON Multan elected as vice president happens to hold master degree in nursing and one of the most senior nurse in Punjab.
The Minister wishing the newly elected President and Vice President success, said the standard of education needs to be at par with international standards for better health care system in Pakistan.
She said the present government is giving priority to strategic planning for Human Resource Development for National and international requirements.
This will be first time in the history of Pakistan Nursing Council that the profession is given full autonomy due to which the government has supported that the council should be headed by a Nurse, she said and added, in the past a doctor used to be the President of the Pakistan Nursing Council.
