The Case of Nursing in Sindh: A Voice Needed to be Heard

DGN Sindh (2nd from left) and Controller SNEB (right) in a Panel Discussion along with national nursing icons and Omanese dignitaries of Nursing. 

By Samina Sindhu & Mushtaq Soomro

In response to targeted campaign on print and social media against the DGN Sindh Shabir Hussain Jhatial & the Controller SNEB Ms Khairunissa Akbar, some background information and a few facts are put under for all nursing leaders who matter.
1. The Controller Nursing Board, Ms Khairunissa, was appointed in 2017 after Board remained dysfunctional for almost six months.
2. Rampant corruption in SNEB through ghost private institutions (more than twenty in number was not a hidden secret with millions of rupees dirty business in each).
3. Sindh health department decided to take action against the deep-rooted corrupt mafia spread in the province and rooted at the Nursing Council. An inquiry conducted in 2017 has surfaced where all mismanagement by the officers was identified.
4. The corrupt network utilized broker-leaders to target the department through sit-ins and character assassination campaign on print, electronic and social media.
5. The department consistently stood by and reforms in the system brought the Board on track again in a year. The greatest achievement would be materialized soon in shape of complete automation of SNEB and its affiliated institutions. It would pluck the extra induction mafia in Sindh.
6. The Directorate remained vacant for almost one and half month following the retirement of Mr Habibullah Soomro. There were rumours that someone from secretariat would run the Directorate as the Health Department was not satisfied with officers due to reasons well-known in Sindh. Later, Mr Shabir Hussain was given look after charge after thorough interviewing amongst the senior most lot on seniority-cum-fitness.
7. As an Ex-Officio Member of the Council, the director defended Sindh against the mafia network rooted at the Council. The same network started a media campaign, court cases, and sit-ins against him. Department stood by again and reforms began at the Council level. The ghost institutions’ business got suspended, but the mafia started their propaganda again and used the deprivations of nurses against Mr Shabir Hussain. Few Aera Ghaera Nathhoo Khaeras are used to with abusing the highest posts of Nursing in Sindh.
8. As the visits of ghost institutions began as per the orders of the Health Department and PNC. The writ of the government was reinforced. The uncontrollable ghost institutions were asked to produce NOC from the department. The Council officials at Islamabad came under scrutiny. 
9. After the suspension of about eighteen public sector Schools due to fake admissions, the transparent admissions of more than 900 nursing students were carried out. Remember, only 134 were selectable like the previous year but the schools were filled with more than 900 students on merit basis after many years through advocacy by the director. The broker network became ineffective and non-existent.
10. Council's crucial session to transform the fate of the diploma schools in degree institutions would perhaps get the final nod in the session to be called in a couple of days.
11. In this background, the same mafia again started the baseless and misleading campaign. All allegations against the director and the controller nursing have no any single evidence, only sheer propaganda spree by a few disgruntled and suicidal missiles is hell-bent to destroy renaissance of Nursing in Sindh so far.
13. The strikers have made the perception that the director is working against the demands of protesters. Because he is not participating in the protests or sit- ins. They are brainwashing the nurses for their personal plans. No director from any province or AJK has ever protested with strikers. Then why Shabir Hussain is expected to do that and that too for hidden agenda of mafia-network? 
14. Consistent support from learned nurses from the schools, universities, the other provinces is still needed to root out the remnants of mafia type networking. The nursing profession would improve as per state policy to make it competitive in the international market. The networking of positive professionals is still needed of the hour to free the nursing profession from selfish people and the evil mafia who want to recapture the nursing in Sindh again.
15. The intellectual support from sister provinces’ directors, Prime Minister’s Task Force and individual entities is sought again. Their support on social media, print media and other influencing platforms would encourage the directorate and SNEB and it would discourage the broker mafia to take roots again.