ISLAMABAD (APP) - The government is fully aware of the importance of nursing sector and is determined to raise its level to bring it at par with international standards. This was stated by Dr Asim Hussain, President Pakistan Nursing Council, Advisor to Prime Minister on Petroleum and Chairman National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) while addressing a consultative meeting on Nursing Education and Employment here on Thursday. This meeting was the second of a series of consultative meetings organised by National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) in collaboration with the Pakistan Nursing Council (PNC). Dr Asim emphasised the importance of nursing education as a prerequisite for improving the current status and conditions of this sector. He stressed upon the need to phase out the prevalent diploma system by replacing it with four years BSc. Nursing. He also suggested that every medical college should have a school of 200 nurses attached to it.He said the government is committed to strengthening the health sector in general and nursing sector in particular. He expressed the hope that the proposals and recommendations of such consultative meetings would serve as a catalyst to achieve this goal. Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Dr. Mehreen Bhutto appreciating the role of nurses in the society reiterated the governments commitment to bring about a qualitative change in the status of all professions in general and those dominated by women in particular. Naeem-ul-Haq, Member-I, NRB stressed that any way forward will depend upon commitment of stakeholders and innovations in the existing nursing policy.He stressed that phenomenal progress in the medical profession should be accompanied by concomitant progress in the nursing profession. He said a series of meetings have already taken place with the relevant stakeholders, adding, Pakistan Nursing Council is actively supporting the NRB in its endeavors. Vice Chancellor Dow University of Health Sciences Dr. Masud Hameed said that health service delivery system could be improved in the country by improving the standard of nursing sector. Other speakers said that the current situation of the nursing profession in the country requires a proactive and long term approach so that an adequate number of nursing professionals are prepared to meet the national and international requirements. The objective of holding the meeting was to devise need based Nursing Human Resource (NHR), generation of job opportunities at national and international level, opening of new specialties in this field and funding a way forward for development of the backbone of the medical profession like nurses.