Health Desk
ISLAMABAD: In a major breakthrough for nursing students from Balochistan, the federal government has decided to resolve the long-standing degree and registration issue affecting 150 students enrolled under the Balochistan Human Capital Investment Project (BHCIP).
The decision was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by Federal Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Syed Mustafa Kamal, following the intervention of National Party Parliamentary Leader Senator Jan Muhammad Baloedi.
During the meeting, Senator Baloedi highlighted the concerns of 150 students from remote and underdeveloped areas of Balochistan who were admitted to the Associate Degree Program (ADP) in Nursing at the Health Services Academy (HSA), Islamabad, under the World Bank-supported BHCIP initiative.
He informed the minister that the students had originally been enrolled in an HEC-recognized ADP in Nursing. However, the Health Services Academy later converted the degree program into a training program, creating uncertainty over the students’ academic qualifications and professional future. As a result, 47 students were unable to obtain registration with the Pakistan Nursing Council (PNC), while the remaining students also faced uncertainty regarding the recognition of their qualifications.
The meeting was attended by the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of National Health Services, the Vice Chancellor of the Health Services Academy, the Secretary of the Pakistan Nursing Council, the Director General (Accreditation) of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), and other senior officials.
After detailed deliberations, Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal directed all relevant institutions to immediately implement a permanent solution in the best interest of the students.
Under the agreed decisions, the 47 affected students will receive a special one-time permission for registration with the Pakistan Nursing Council, while all 150 students will be awarded HEC-approved Associate Degree Program (ADP) in Nursing degrees, securing their academic credentials and professional careers.
Senator Jan Muhammad Baloedi thanked the federal health minister for personally taking up the issue and ensuring a positive resolution. He said the decision had ended years of uncertainty for the students and brought relief to hundreds of families across Balochistan.
He also appreciated the cooperation of the Ministry of National Health Services, the Higher Education Commission, the Pakistan Nursing Council, the Health Services Academy, and other stakeholders, expressing hope that the decisions would be implemented without delay.
Calling the development a significant achievement, Senator Baloedi said the resolution removes the obstacles that had threatened the educational and professional future of 150 Balochistan nursing students.
