Vice President Faisal Naseem has held discussions on ways to strengthen the nursing profession.

The President’s Office said that the vice president met with relevant stakeholders from both the health and education sectors on Sunday. This includes Health Minister Ahmed Naseem, Higher Education Minister Dr. Ibrahim Hassan, Special Advisor on Social Policy at the President’s Office Dr. Mustafa Lutfy as well as senior officials. Other stakeholders present the meeting include the Registrar and senior officials of the Maldives Nursing and Midwifery Council and high-ranking officials from Maldives National University (MNU).

The Office said that the meeting’s discussions centered on overcoming hindrances to training nurses, enhancing government support to the profession, as well as addressing the discrepancy between the ratio of individuals who are trained in nursing and those who actively join the field.

The stakeholders said that the reason for the discrepancy “stems from the difference in wages and allowances paid to local, as opposed to foreign, nurses”.

They also noted that the proliferation in the number of C-Sections performed in the Maldives, and recommended to restore the compulsory ‘midwifery’ component to nursing training.

The vice president emphasized that President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih “considers enhancing healthcare in the Maldives an urgent priority especially following the Covid-19 pandemic,” at the meeting.

He also congratulated the newly-elected members of the Maldives Nursing and Midwifery Council (MNMC).