Nurse Leaders in the Making

by Shabbir Hussain Jatial

Jungshahi,Thatta:
The renowned nurse activist brings light to hundreds of ailing eyes in Free Eye Camp at Jungshahi Union Council in South Sindh

The Nurse Entrepreneur Noreen Farhan is founder of Zhawia زاویہ organization has been striving for sustainable changes in the lives of communities in the health sector in coastal districts of Sindh and Balochistan in liason with government and non governmental organisations. Recently she succeeded in establishing a Free Eye Camp for treatment and surgeries in Jangshahi town of Thatta district. 



At Free Camp at the door steps of vulnerable population in remote Jangshahi brough from Karachi many renowned ophthalmologists to undertake minor surgery, provided lenses,spectacles and medicines to around 380 men and women who lived with ailments as their fate.

 Community mobilization and transportation of needy patients at Jangshahi township was arranged by local social organization. While for complex surgeries, about 38 people were brought to Al-Basir Trust Hospital where procedures were performed in Al-Baseer Hospital in Karachi City.



The Nurse entrereneurs Ns.Noreen and Ms. Noor-e-Ma'rifa have created deep respect in the hearts of 28000 Union Council Jungshahi with 28000 population scattered around in hilly areas of Kohistan and on the banks ofscenic Keenjhar Lake. Ms. Naorin and her team of nurses are especially popular among women of all ages. Her Zhavia organzation has succeeded in bringing healthy changes in community perceptions and practices. The population is mostly uncovered even of basic health facilities except a Rural Health Center at Jungshahi township. Most people especially women suffer a lot for not having even simple interventions that could have mitigated their sufferings.

 The spirit of Zawiya, Ms. Noreen & Ms. Noor-e-Ma'rifa, both nursing gradutes of Aga Khan University, and their team essentially reflects the practical form of community health nursing theory that all nurses study during their diploma and degree education.



 The entrepreneur nurse leaders spearheading Zawiya organization have mobilized the entire community towards healthy trends within a short period of time through simple and cost effective nursing interventions essentially studied in Primary Health Care principles. 

 In order to achieve these goals, the Zhavvia زاویہ is working with the government,voluntary social organizations and philanthropic trusts to change the perception and practices of people towards health and life. 

The workmates of Zhavia Team are indirectly validating that nurses can achieve surprisingly large goals with little resources and limited time if given leadership role.

 Surprisingly, Ms.Noreen Farhan& Ms. Noor-e- Ma'rifa with their creative team are actually validating the International Nursing Council's thematic series: "Nurses can be an effective economic force of nations" and an !"economic power" by reducing disease burden and enhancing productivity of the people.