Over 90 % of Bogus Nursing Colleges Working in Sindh, reveals by committee

By: Omed Hajjana

Islamabad: The Parliamentary Sub-committee on National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination on Monday revealed that over 90 percent of bogus Nursing colleges working in Sindh province are having no direct affiliations with Hospitals for Clinical Practice.

Senator Jam Mehtab Hussain apprised the committee that the issue highlighted by Bogus Nursing Colleges has come to the limelight from the fake nursing institutions list provided by the Nursing Council.

“Over 90pc of Nursing Colleges in Sindh are Bogus, I myself have inspected many nursing colleges in Sindh”, he informed the committee.

He added that the majority of nursing college owners are government employees which is a violation of rules and procedures.

The meeting of the Senate Sub-Committee on National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination was held under the Convener ship of Senator Rubina Khalid here at the Parliament House to discuss the matter of fake institutions registered with Pakistan Nursing Council, their affiliations with the Hospitals and fake Degrees/certificates issued to nurses.

The sub-committee lamented the slow progress of the matter and inquired on the reasons for its delay “The matter is pending for a year now ‘the chair remarked “shows the power of the PNC which seems to be even greater than the Prime Minister”, she further added.Senate Panel Directs FIA to Probe Bogus Nursing Colleges

The committee discussed the repatriation of Mrs.Yasmeen Azad, Assistant Registrar Pakistan Nursing Council “The status quo of the PNC is filled with filth” she said and hoped that the new council will play an active and authoritative role in improvise the PNC setup.

The additional secretary of health informed that with the formation of the new council, the role of the registrar and other personnel on deputation will be changed.

He apprised the committee that a new Nursing Council has been constituted, which will act as a governing body and its first meeting will be held tomorrow.

He said that once the new council starts to operate the issue of fake degrees and colleges will immediately be addressed and an order of repatriation will also be complied.

The sub-committee decided that the new council, in particular the president, and representation from the Ministry be invited to the next sub-committee meeting, soon after the first internal meeting of the council.

The committee inquired on the number and list of colleges closed so far, to which the registrar PNC went there, also directed the PNC to provide an inquiry report if any has been conducted ever since its establishment on monitoring of ghost colleges and as whether any of them got closed by the council, in the next meeting.

The committee also questioned the point mentioned in the brief that no other department (govt or private except PNC can regulate or conduct the nursing diplomas/degrees/ courses / [programs that are being offered by registrar nursing institutes /colleges in the country.

“What Mafia is this’’ Senator Rubina Khalid remarked, ” Does PN&MC have no monitoring authority? “She questioned and directed the Ministry to give a briefing on the amended PNC (Amendment) Act, 2023.

Senator Rubina Khalid asked to provide the details of all the new colleges registered during the tenure of registrar Fouzia Mushtaq in the next meeting.

The Convenor of the sub-committee directed stern action against bogus nursing colleges to submit a report within a month.