The nursing and midwifery council bill

It is welcome to note that the government has passed the Nursing and Midwifery Council Bill 2016 replacing the Nursing Ordinance 1983, because it would hopefully stop entry of gatecrashers into this very crucial side of health profession. As doctors enter the medical profession through the certification from the present Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC), from now on those who want to work as nurses and midwives have to take permission from the nursing and midwifery council.  
In the country, there has been some regulatory mechanism over nurses because nursing has become to a great extent institutionalised. But as far as the midwifery is concerned, the situation has remained in its present deplorable state. Midwives here are mostly uneducated and they know little or nothing about gynaecological or obstetric problems and their solutions. But every midwife must have at least primary knowledge in this field.
An expert midwife in our country is known to be a woman who has earned some skill only through some years of practice and nothing else. Not surprisingly, in the hands of these midwives both the life of the mother and the baby always run the risk of life. In fact, child and maternal mortality in Bangladesh is still high because those who practice midwifery here are ignorant about their profession without any institutional education and professional training.
This is particularly true in the rural areas. In the many upstart maternity clinics in towns and cities where C-section is performed when it is not absolutely necessary, you will find mothers delivering babies under the care of midwives who lack knowledge and skill.   
Therefore, this very important side of maternity service warrants for strict regulation and it is expected that the new nursing and midwifery council would be able to wean those from midwifery profession who lack knowledge and skill in the business. As now it is absolutely prohibited to enter the profession of nursing and midwifery without registration from the council, it is also expected that in giving certification the new council would exercise its authority thoroughly professionally without politicisation and giving someone undue favour.
In this bill, there are provisions for punishment for those who practice nursing and midwifery without registration and it is expected that these provisions would act as effective deterrents through their proper enforcement. But as midwifery is very crucial in maternity service, both the public and private sector must see that trained and educated midwives are produced in the country in adequate numbers. 

The nursing and midwifery council bill

It is welcome to note that the government has passed the Nursing and Midwifery Council Bill 2016 replacing the Nursing Ordinance 1983, because it would hopefully stop entry of gatecrashers into this very crucial side of health profession. As doctors enter the medical profession through the certification from the present Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC), from now on those who want to work as nurses and midwives have to take permission from the nursing and midwifery council. In the country, there has been some regulatory mechanism over nurses because nursing has become to a great extent institutionalised. But as far as the midwifery is concerned, the situation has remained in its present deplorable state. Midwives here are mostly uneducated and they know little or nothing about gynaecological or obstetric problems and their solutions. But every midwife must have at least primary knowledge in this field. An expert midwife in our country is known to be a woman who has earned some skill only through some years of practice and nothing else. Not surprisingly, in the hands of these midwives both the life of the mother and the baby always run the risk of life. In fact, child and maternal mortality in Bangladesh is still high because those who practice midwifery here are ignorant about their profession without any institutional education and professional training. This is particularly true in the rural areas. In the many upstart maternity clinics in towns and cities where C-section is performed when it is not absolutely necessary, you will find mothers delivering babies under the care of midwives who lack knowledge and skill. Therefore, this very important side of maternity service warrants for strict regulation and it is expected that the new nursing and midwifery council would be able to wean those from midwifery profession who lack knowledge and skill in the business. As now it is absolutely prohibited to enter the profession of nursing and midwifery without registration from the council, it is also expected that in giving certification the new council would exercise its authority thoroughly professionally without politicisation and giving someone undue favour. In this bill, there are provisions for punishment for those who practice nursing and midwifery without registration and it is expected that these provisions would act as effective deterrents through their proper enforcement. But as midwifery is very crucial in maternity service, both the public and private sector must see that trained and educated midwives are produced in the country in adequate numbers.