The untapped power of nurses and midwives in Bangladesh’s future

Bangladesh’s healthcare future may depend more on its nurses and midwives than ever before. Often overlooked in policy discussions, these professionals are central to patient care, maternal health and hospital safety. Experts argue that strengthening their role is not a symbolic step but a structural necessity for a resilient health system.

Specialists highlight that nurses are the backbone of clinical care, monitoring patients, preventing infections and ensuring continuity long after doctors leave the room. Midwives, meanwhile, play a critical role in antenatal care, safe childbirth and newborn protection. Yet despite their importance, both groups remain underutilised and under-recognised within the system.

It is also highlighted that there is point to a persistent gap between demand and empowerment. Many professionals face long hours, limited authority and unclear career pathways, particularly in rural areas where healthcare access remains uneven. Without proper deployment, training and institutional support, their potential to strengthen frontline services remains unrealised.

At the same time, global demand for skilled nurses and midwives is rising. Experts suggest Bangladesh could benefit from this trend by developing a structured pathway for ethical overseas employment, creating opportunities for skilled migration and foreign currency generation.

However, specialists caution that such strategies must balance domestic needs with global opportunities. Expanding training, strengthening leadership roles and building public-private partnerships are essential steps.

Reframing nurses and midwives as central actors rather than support staff could transform healthcare delivery while opening new economic pathways for the country.

The writer is a nursing educationist and research consultant (nursing and midwifery). E-mail: forazy@gmail.com