Provincial Minister for Health Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Khaliq Ur Rehman attended the 3rd National Research Conference and International Nurses Day 2026 ceremony in Peshawar as the Chief Guest. The event was organized by the National Nurses and Midwives Research Association (NNMRA) and was attended by nursing leaders, healthcare professionals, educators, researchers, students, and stakeholders from across Pakistan.
The ceremony commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran, Naat-e-Rasool Maqbool ﷺ, and the National Anthem. During the conference, detailed discussions were held on key issues related to nursing services, education, research, workforce development, and the vital role of nurses in strengthening the healthcare system.
Addressing the participants, Provincial Health Minister Khaliq Ur Rehman stated that the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is taking practical steps to strengthen the nursing sector, provide modern training opportunities to nurses, and improve healthcare delivery across the province. He said that nurses are the backbone of the healthcare system and play a critical role in patient care, emergency response, infection control, disaster management, research, and community health services.
The Minister appreciated the efforts of the National Nurses and Midwives Research Association for promoting nursing leadership, research, education, and professional development. He emphasized that such conferences are the need of the hour to address the challenges faced by the nursing profession and assured the participants that the recommendations presented during the conference would be seriously considered by the provincial government.
During the conference, Dr. Shaista Jadoon presented a comprehensive 17-point agenda highlighting the major challenges faced by the nursing sector along with practical recommendations for improvement. Special guest Miss Fouzia from Pakistan Atomic Energy Hospital announced the expansion of scholarship and internship programs for nurses and pledged an additional financial support of Rs. 3 million for this purpose.
The speakers highlighted that empowering nurses through recruitments, promotions, higher education opportunities, scholarships, and advanced professional training would significantly strengthen the healthcare system in both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan.
The event concluded with prayers and a renewed commitment by all participants to continue working collectively for the advancement of the nursing profession and the improvement of healthcare services across Pakistan.