TAXILA: An event to commemorate the International Nurses Day was held at Wah Cantonment on Saturday to pay tributes to the nursing community for their invaluable service to humanity with a resolve to give due status to them in society.

The ceremony was jointly organised by Pakistan Youth League, Al-Syed Hospital and Pearl Welfare Organisation.

During the ceremony, speakers paid tributes to the nursing community and said they were the backbone of health institutions as holistic healthcare could not be given or properly managed in the absence of trained and skilled nurses.

Terming nurses an icon of great service to humanity, the speakers said the nurses in Pakistan were rendering excellent services.

They said during the pandemic the nurses along with doctors rendered invaluable services in the health sector.

Speakers say nurses worked tirelessly to serve patients during pandemic

Chief Organiser Pakistan Youth League Aabid Hussain said International Nurses Day was celebrated every year on May 12 to recognise the incredible work nurses do.

The nurses work tirelessly to save lives and look after and care for people with complex health conditions often with little recognition.

He acknowledged and appreciated nurses’ dedication, compassion and unwavering commitment to provide exceptional care to the patients.

Eminent educationist Shafqat Hayat said the role of nurses in serving humanity can never be neglected.

He said investment in nurses was crucial as the nursing department and its services played the role of a lifeline for humanity as there was no other noble profession than nursing.

Coordinator Wah Nursing College Firdaus Begum said international nurse’s day was the day to appreciate the great work nurses were doing in hospitals to care for the sick patients and their families.

Pakistan Academy of Family Physicians Taxila chapter president Dr Syed Asad Ali also appreciated the role of nurses in caring patients.

He mentioned that the inclusion of 10 Pakistani women in the World Health Organisation’s list of the world’s 100 best nurses and midwifery leaders was a global recognition of their services.

“Nurses perform a sacred duty in taking care of patients. Society should acknowledge their services and respect them. A positive change is gradually taking place in society about the nursing profession. There is a need for a change in the nurses’ attitude as well,” he said.

He said only five nurses were available for every 10,000 people, about 162 centres in Pakistan were providing basic education of nurses in which 2,000 nurses were trained annually.

A large number of students and nursing staff of POF Nursing College presented tableaus and performed on national songs.

A cake cutting ceremony was also held to mark the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2023