AKU Celebrates International Nurses Day

Nurses at Aga Khan University (AKU) celebrated International Nurses Day on 17 May 2003. Every year, around the world, the day commemorates Florence Nightingale, Founder of Modern Nursing. This year, the day was marked by the theme: "Nurses always there: Caring for all with stigmatised diseases".

The programme was organised by AKU with the objective of increasing public awareness of the pivotal role nurses play in family care and health, and their potential in minimizing the affects on patients with stigmatized diseases, such as leprosy, tuberculosis and AIDS.

In her address, chief guest Dr. Saeeda Malik, Minister for Population Welfare and Women Development, Government of Sindh, highlighted the crucial partnership between doctors and nurses. She said that while doctors check and monitor patients by the day, nurses are with the patients all the time, taking care of them and tending to all their requirements. "Nursing is one of the best professions now," she said, adding "if I weren't a doctor, I would certainly have opted for nursing as a profession."

Keynote speaker Dr. Mohammad Ashraf Memon, Acting Programme Manager at Sindh AIDS Control Programme, discussed world AIDS campaign for this year, on HIV/AIDS related stigma and discrimination. He said it is unfortunate that AIDS is considered to be a social stigma which people with HIV/AIDS face. "The goal this year, therefore, is to reduce and ultimately eliminate HIV/AIDS related stigma and discrimination wherever it occurs and in all forms," he urged. He suggested that by promoting positive action by individuals and institutions towards people living with HIV/AIDS and their families, and by raising proper awareness can such stigma be eliminated.

In her welcome address, Khurshid Khowaja, Director, Nursing Services, Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), said the consequences of stigma are wide-ranging, and the result ranges from shame, guilt, and loss of self-esteem to discouraging patients from seeking proper treatment. She said that in such a scenario, nurses have a more responsible role to play. "Nursing in Pakistan has yet to develop in the context of social, cultural and economic conditions and it must respond to the existing health needs of the society. She said that, earlier families were reluctant to send their girls into this profession because of its poor image and unattractive salary structure, fear of threats and insecurity. "But now, the number of girls seeking entrance to the nursing profession is increasing. In past this profession desperately sought integrity, status and respect; now it also looks for high professional standards, best possible educational facilities, good working conditions and recognition as a distinct discipline of health care.", she added.

Speaking on the expanding role of nurses, Dr. Yasmin Amarsi, Dean of AKU-SON, said, "The role of nurses has now expanded. Nurses today are seen as educators, counsellors and researchers." She added that along with the International Council of Nurses, we nurses of Pakistan urge the government, religious leaders and all stakeholders in the field of health care, to work towards replacing fear, guilt and shame arising from having a stigmatized disease, with solidarity and hope."