ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal on Monday said that all affairs of the Pakistan Nursing Council (PNC) will soon be computerised to minimise human intervention and eliminate inefficiencies.

He was chairing a meeting on the affairs of the PNC, attended by the federal health secretary and an additional secretary.

The minister announced to fully digitalise the PNC to ensure efficiency, merit, and transparency in all of its operations.

“We will restore the lost credibility of the nursing profession and transform the Pakistan Nursing Council into a modern, effective, and internationally recognised institution,” said the minister.

Mr Kamal underscored the vital role of nursing in Pakistan’s health system and highlighted the pressing shortage of nursing professionals.

“Pakistan currently faces a shortfall of nearly 900,000 nurses, while globally the shortage of qualified nurses stands at approximately 2.5 million”, he added.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening the nursing sector through comprehensive reforms, robust policies, and modern digital systems.

He further noted that nursing was one of the most critical pillars of the health sector, and bold steps were being taken to bring the profession in line with international standards.

“We will modernise the nursing sector, ensure merit-based practices, and introduce effective reforms so that Pakistan’s nursing workforce can meet both national and international demands,” he added.

The minister concluded by stating that reforms in the nursing sector will continue with a strong focus on transparency, merit, and modernisation to uplift the profession and ensure quality healthcare delivery across Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2025