South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-keun has appreciated the sacrifices and devotion of nurses at NIANER  in treating COVID-19 patients risking their own health. 

NIANER, National Institute of Advanced Nursing Education & Research in Bangladesh, was established in 2016 with the support of the Korean Government.

While visiting NIANER, the envoy said it is playing a crucial role in Bangladesh’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by educating and training qualified nurse leaders.

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NIANER, first proposed to Korea during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Seoul in 2010, was formally inaugurated in May 2018 in the presence of the  Prime Minister of Bangladesh. 

The project was executed by Korea International Cooperation Agency, development agency under the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, between 2012-2019 with total project cost of 13.75 million US dollars. 

NIANER, with the mission of developing nurse leaders in the area of nursing practice, education, research and management to promote health of all people of Bangladesh, has produced so far 124 high-skilled nursing leaders with 114 students under training, said the Korean Embassy in Dhaka on Tuesday. 

Faculty members of the Institute are regularly invited to Korea for nursing leadership training and so far 32 faculty members received faculty training in Korea, it said. 

Among them three faculty members received PhD degree in Korea. Korean Government, through KOICA, also providedNIANER with COVID-19 PPEs and emergency food package worth of 440 thousand US dollars in 2020. 

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NIANER is also holding various activities such as hosting international nursing conference and nursing seminars and publishing Journal of South Asian Nursing, said the Embassy. 

The Institute also operates three Centers: Community Nursing Center, Teachers Training Center and Research Center.

Health sector is one of the priority areas of Korea’s development cooperation with Bangladesh. 

Bangladesh-Korea Friendship Hospital was established in Savar 1998 with Korea’s assistance. 

Last year an Eye Care Unit was added to the Friendship Hospital with Korean support. BSMMU Super Specialized Hospital is now under construction with the support of Korea’s soft loan, EDCF, amounting to 277 million US dollars.