Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2015, published 105th ILC session (2016)

Nursing Personnel Convention, 1977 (No. 149) - Bangladesh (Ratification: 1979)

Article 2 of the Convention. National policy and measures concerning nursing services and nursing personnel. The Committee notes the Government’s indication in its report that a new National Health Policy was adopted in 2011. The Government also refers to other relevant policy instruments, including the Programme Implementation Plan (PIP) of the Health, Population and Nutrition Sector Development Programme (2011–16) which contains a number of measures that may contribute to the effective application of the Convention. In particular, the PIP identifies nurses and midwifery services and training among its priority areas and indicates that available places in institutions offering nursing degrees would be increased and the status of nurses upgraded. The Committee welcomes the information contained in the Government’s report and in the 2014 Health Bulletin published by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare which shows that such measures are being implemented. However, the Bulletin also shows that the number of vacant nursing positions in 2013 was still very high, in particular in the higher categories (99 per cent for class I posts; 40 per cent for class II; and 54 per cent for class III). Noting the Government’s indication that a preliminary draft of a Workforce Strategy (2013–23) for Development of Human Resources for Health has been developed, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the adoption of this strategy and on results obtained from its implementation, as well as on any other measures taken to provide nursing personnel with education and training appropriate to the exercise of their functions, and employment and working conditions, including career prospects and remuneration, which are likely to attract persons to the profession and retain them in it.