THE Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government launched a five-year skill development programme to award scholarship in the field of nursing and physiotherapy with a total cost of Rs701 million in 2010.

These scholarships are being awarded to students across the country studying in institutions like the Khyber Medical University, the Shifa International Hospital (Shifa College of Nursing) and the Aga Khan University Hospital.

Currently, two batches have been enrolled for the bachelor’s and the master’s programme in the above-mentioned institutions that cost millions of rupees on each student.

It is a great opportunity for nurses to study under the government scholarship for the first time in the history of Pakistan.

A master’s degree programme at the Aga Khan University costs Rs1.8 million approximately for each candidate. These graduates will soon be the leaders in the nursing profession in the country.

Nursing in Pakistan needs highly skilled and qualified personnel to get it to the top. Nevertheless, the government has taken the step to make nursing leaders by awarding scholarships.

However, the government has not taken any step for these leaders to be accommodated after graduation. Soon after their graduation these nursing leaders will either leave the country or serve in non-governmental organisations. This situation is rather painful.

The government should take steps for these highly qualified human resources before their graduation so that they serve their own country. They should be asked to sign a bond with the government under which they should work for a certain period of time in Pakistan.

NOOR KHAN     Swat