The health workforce crisis in Bangladesh

According to BRAC researcher Syed Masud Ahmed and his colleagues (Human Resources for Health 2011, 9:3), in 2007 there were around five physicians and two nurses per 10 000 population in Bangladesh, i.e. 2.5 times more doctor than nurses. “The current nurse-doctor ratio …  is far short of the international standard of around three nurses per doctor. Interestingly, the equal nurse-doctor ratio in Khulna and very low nurse-doctor ratio in Sylhet is also associated with better health indicators in Khulna and worse health indicators in Sylhet. The importance of the nursing population for healthier communities … cannot be overemphasized.” They estimate, based on typical low-income countries, that 280 000 nurses are needed in Bangladesh. http://www.human-resources-health.com/content/9/1/3

Community nursing – big impact

Linda Rollins of Nelson BC recently returned from teaching Community Health Nursing at IUBAT. Although this is her specialty in Canada, Linda says that she found the situation there quite different. “Community nursing in Bangladesh faces so many challenges from poor sanitation, food safety and environmental conditions. At the same time, chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease are becoming more common. There are great opportunities for the IUBAT graduates to make a big difference in the lives of ordinary people. It was very fulfilling to know that my effort has such an important potential impact.”

Recognizing an invaluable faculty member

Sonia Meyer is one of our longest-serving volunteers. With a background in respiratory therapy, she completed her BScN in the USA. Sonia lives year-round in Bangladesh, making time despite job and family responsibilities to supervise IUBAT medical-surgical students in their clinical practice. Managers at United Hospital appreciate the way Sonia emphasizes high-quality nursing care and cooperative relationships with all the staff. Sonia says, “I enjoy working with the students. They get good experience at United Hospital and they are so eager to learn. I am proud that they really care about their patients as if they were their own family.” She is certified by the American Heart Association to teach cardio-pulmonary resuscitation to our students each year. Such consistent, capable faculty members are hard to find in Dhaka.

Big thanks, Sonia!