Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2001, published 90th ILC session (2002)

Nursing Personnel Convention, 1977 (No. 149) - Azerbaijan (Ratification: 1992)

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its reports.

Article 1, paragraph 3, of the Convention. The Committee notes that nursing services provided on a voluntary basis are not widespread in the country. It requests the Government to indicate any measure that is taken in future respecting nursing personnel working on a voluntary basis.

Article 2, paragraphs 1 and 3. The Committee notes from the information provided by the Government that the national policy respecting nursing services and personnel is based on the Constitution, the Labour Code and laws and regulations in the field of health. It also notes that the health sector is currently being reformed in Azerbaijan. The Committee therefore requests the Government to provide information on any national policy on nursing services which is implemented in this context, with an indication of the bodies responsible for its formulation and implementation. It also requests the Government to indicate the manner in which the employers’ and workers’ organizations concerned have been consulted in the context of the above policy.

Article 2, paragraph 2(a). The Committee notes that the training of nursing personnel is provided by specialized medical schools and through in-depth training courses, in accordance with the programmes approved with the Ministry of Health. It also notes that, in addition to specialized basic training, nursing personnel receive appropriate practical training. Finally, it notes that 3,008 intermediary-level nurses followed further training courses in 1999, or 5.3 per cent of the personnel in this category. It requests the Government to provide additional information on the content and duration of these programmes.

Article 2, paragraph 2(b). The Committee notes the information provided by the Government to the effect that Order No. 219 of 25 November 1993 issued by the Ministry of Health, respecting the remuneration of health-care personnel financed by the state budget, sets out the duties and wage scale of nursing personnel. It notes that there are different categories of nurses with different wage levels. The Committee notes the brief information provided concerning the careers of nursing personnel and requests the Government to provide fuller information on the career prospects of nursing personnel in the public and private sectors. Furthermore, it requests the Government to provide a copy of Order No. 219 of 25 November 1993.

Article 3, paragraph 2. The Committee notes that the training of nursing personnel is provided within the context of a unified education system, under the authority of the Ministry of Education. It notes the list of nursing occupations, the duration of training and the curricula are established by the Ministry of Health and approved by the Ministry of Education. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the manner in which nursing education and training are coordinated with the education and training of other workers in the field of health, in accordance with this paragraph of the Convention.

Article 4. The Committee notes that, according to the Government, the level of knowledge and experience required to provide medical care is determined by the national legislation. The Committee requests the Government to indicate the provisions of laws or regulations which determine the requirements for the provision of nursing care and services, and to provide copies of the relevant texts.

Article 5, paragraph 2. The Committee notes that the conditions respecting the remuneration of health-care personnel are covered by the sectoral wage agreement concluded by the Ministry of Health and the Republic Committee of Health Workers’ Unions in May 1999. It requests the Government to provide a copy of the above agreement. It also requests it to indicate the progress achieved in the development of the private health sector and to provide, where appropriate, copies of collective agreements determining the working conditions of nursing personnel in the private sector.

Article 5, paragraph 3. The Committee notes the information that the Labour Code includes strikes as one of the means of settling labour disputes, but that section 281 prescribes a number of service sectors that are vital to human health and safety, including the hospital sector, in which strikes are prohibited. It notes that, where the parties are unable to settle a dispute arising in one of these sectors by means of conciliation, they are referred to compulsory arbitration. It also notes that, on the basis of section 281 above, regulations respecting compulsory arbitration have been approved by Order No. 10-1 of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, dated 25 March 1999. The Committee therefore requests the Government to supply a copy of the above Order.

Article 6. The Committee notes that the conditions of work of nursing personnel in the areas of daily rest, educational leave, maternity leave, sickness leave and social security are governed by the general labour legislation. The Committee also requests the Government to provide a copy of the collective agreements, other than the above wage agreement (Article 5, paragraph 2), which are applicable in this respect to nursing personnel.

Article 7. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government on the measures taken to combat the spread of HIV. It requests the Government to provide a copy of the Act of 16 April 1996 and its regulations, as well as Instruction No. 210 of the Cabinet of Ministers, dated 20 October 1997, establishing a national programme for the prevention of the spread of HIV. The Committee also notes that special standards and regulations are currently being prepared for nursing personnel in view of the increasing number of regulations respecting occupational safety issued by the Ministry of Health. The Committee therefore requests the Government to continue providing information on the measures taken in this field and to provide copies of any relevant texts.

Part V of the report form. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government to the effect that there were 57,223 workers in the intermediary medical personnel category as of 1 January 2000, of whom 28,774 were nurses, corresponding to 713.8 and 358.9 employees in the respective categories for each 100,000 inhabitants. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing general information on the manner in which the Convention is applied in practice, including statistical data on the numbers of nursing personnel, the number of persons leaving the profession and the reasons given for their departure, any difficulties which may have been encountered in the implementation of the Convention, etc.