Purpose of the Consultancy
To support the initiation of priority nursing workforce strengthening actions identified through the WHO Expert Review Mission and comprehensive assessment of 479 nursing institutions across Pakistan for Improving the Quality of Nursing and Midwifery Education in Pakistan.
Background
Pakistan continues to face critical challenges related to the availability, distribution, quality, and regulation of its nursing workforce. These challenges include low nurse-to-population density, an inverted nurse-to-physician ratio, provincial inequities, gaps in education quality, limited faculty capacity, weak quality assurance mechanisms, and underdeveloped professional development pathways. These systemic constraints undermine progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the strengthening of primary health care.
During year 2024 & 2025, WHO supported comprehensive assessment of 479 nursing institutions across Pakistan as well organized an expert review mission to assess the Pakistan Nursing & Midwifery Council to identify the challenges in the regulatory capacity, education standards, accreditation processes. The Mission also helped to develop a set of prioritized recommendations and a phased Action Plan Matrix outlining short-, medium-, and long-term actions across policy and governance, accreditation and quality assurance, education reform, digital integration, and professional development. WHO is further supporting national authorities, including the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (MoNHSR&C) and the Pakistan Nursing and Midwifery Council (PNMC), to operationalize these recommendations.
Planned Timelines (subject to confirmation)
Start date: 16 Feb 2026
End date: 30 June 2026
Work to Be Performed Output 1: Prepare an Inception Report and Prioritized Short‑Term Action Plan for Regulatory Strengthening of Nursing Sector.
Deliverable 1.1: Review the comprehensive nursing assessment and international expert mission reports to prepare an inception report to prioritize feasible short-term actions with clear timelines for supporting PNMC.
Output 2: Provide Technical Support and Develop Coordination Report for Implementation of Priority Reforms.
Deliverable 2.1: Provide Technical support and coordination with PNMC and other stakeholders for implementing priority action actions across policy and governance, accreditation and quality assurance, education reform, digital integration, and professional development.
Deliverable 2.2: Coordinate with development partners to align the support and prepare a joint action plan for support to PNMC to implement priority actions.
Output 3: Develop Progress and Final Implementation Report on Regulatory Strengthening Support.
Deliverable 3.1: Prepare periodic progress updates and a final summary report synthesizing activities undertaken, technical support provided, key findings, and recommendations for subsequent phases.
Technical Supervision
Responsible Officer: National Professional Officer (Health Systems)
Manager: Deputy WHO Representative
Specific Requirements:
Qualifications required
First university degree in public health, health systems, nursing, health workforce policy, or a related field.
Experience required
Up to 5 years of relevant professional experience in health systems or health workforce strengthening, preferably with exposure to nursing education or regulation.
Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:
Skills: Strong analytical and writing skills; ability to synthesize technical information; experience supporting multi-stakeholder technical processes.
Language requirement:
Excellent knowledge of English required; knowledge of Urdu is an asset.
Place of Assignment
Islamabad, Pakistan.
Medical clearance
The selected consultant will be required to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.
Travel
The Consultant is expected to travel according to the itinerary and schedule provided by WHO.
All travel arrangements will be made by WHO – WHO will not be responsible for tickets purchased by the Consultant without the express, prior authorization of WHO. While on mission under the terms of this consultancy, the Consultant will receive subsistence allowance.
Visas requirements: it is the consultant’s responsibility to fulfil visa requirements and ask for visa support letter(s) if needed.
