Web Desk: A new Pakistan-US partnership is set to create professional pathways for Pakistani nurses and other healthcare workers seeking training licensing and employment opportunities in the United States.
The American Pakistan Education Foundation a subsidiary of the American Pakistani Public Affairs Committee (APPAC) and the Pakistan Education Foundation (Pak-EEF) are signing a memorandum of understanding in New York to strengthen cooperation in medical education and workforce development.
APPAC Foundation President Dr Ejaz Ahmed and Pak-EEF Chief Executive Officer Syeda Hajra Sohail are scheduled to sign the agreement according to documents obtained by Geo News.
The proposed memorandum will establish a framework for cooperation covering education professional preparation training certification and qualification requirements. It will also seek to develop suitable pathways for eligible Pakistani healthcare professionals to access professional opportunities in the United States.
The initiative also aims to strengthen links between Pakistani institutions and healthcare and educational organisations in the United States.
The American Pakistan Education Foundation is a US-based nonprofit organisation working on education healthcare workforce development professional capacity building and community initiatives in both Pakistan and the United States.
The initiative to create professional opportunities for Pakistani nurses and other healthcare workers was launched by APPAC with the support of New York State Assembly Deputy Speaker Phil Ramos.
As part of the initiative APPAC board members made two visits to Pakistan and held discussions with relevant stakeholders on nursing allied health education workforce development and professional training.
The delegations also explored ways to expand institutional cooperation between Pakistan and the United States.
Meanwhile Pak-EEF has launched an NCLEX nurse placement programme under a government-backed initiative aimed at preparing Pakistani registered nurses for international licensing.
According to Pak-EEF 2,759 candidates registered nationwide for the programme. Following a rigorous screening and selection process 300 eligible nurses were chosen for training.
More than 80 nurses have so far obtained NCLEX licences and are ready to work internationally while over 220 others are currently progressing through the examination process.
The programme has also helped candidates facing financial constraints prepare for and take the costly licensing examination without having to travel abroad.
The new MoU is expected to provide APPAC Foundation with a basis for developing links with US hospitals healthcare systems nursing facilities educational institutions professional organisations and potential employers interested in recruiting qualified healthcare professionals.
APPAC will also work with Pakistani and US institutions and other stakeholders to strengthen nursing and medical education faculty development professional exchanges and healthcare workforce preparation.
The two organisations are expected to explore opportunities involving scholarships educational assistance and training partnerships.
Under the agreement Pak-EEF will identify and support nurses and other healthcare professionals with the required educational backgrounds and professional qualifications who are interested in further education professional development and potential employment in the United States.
The organisation will also assist candidates with professional preparation examinations certification documentation and other requirements.
Furthermore APPAC Foundation and Pak-EEF could work with universities nursing schools hospitals training institutions and professional organisations to develop or support educational programmes for nurses and other healthcare professionals.
A joint working group is also expected to be established soon to oversee implementation of the MoU and facilitate further cooperation between the two organisations.
Speaking to Geo News Dr Ejaz Ahmed thanked Deputy Prime Minister Senator Ishaq Dar and others who welcomed his delegation during visits to Islamabad Lahore and Karachi three years ago.
He said those engagements helped lay the groundwork for a broader cooperation framework involving New York Punjab and Sindh.
Ahmed also expressed particular appreciation for Phil Ramos who led the delegation.
Former Sindh governor Kamran Tessori also welcomed the development recalling his April 2023 meeting with Ramos in New York to explore the possibility of establishing “sister state” relations between New York Punjab and Sindh.
Tessori praised Ramos for following through on his commitments and described Ahmed as a patriot committed to serving Pakistan.
He said he was pleased that the meeting three years ago was now producing practical results.
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