In Astana for a Milestone Moment: Launching the Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery in Central Asia
This blog was written by Andrés de Juan Ortega. Andrés is a Registered Nurse at the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona, one of Europe’s leading healthcare institutions, where he combines clinical practice with research. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Medicine and Translational Research at the University of Barcelona, focusing on healthcare workforce management and health system sustainability. He is also the Co-Chair of the Nursing Now Challenge, Challengers’ Committee.
For more than four years, the Ministries of Health of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, together with WHO Europe and international partners, have engaged in intensive policy dialogue, expert consultations, and collaborative design to create a framework that could meaningfully transform nursing and midwifery in their region.
That effort culminated in the launch of the “Strategic directions for nursing and midwifery in Central Asia 2025–2030”, a shared vision and roadmap toward a strengthened, modernised, and resilient nursing and midwifery workforce. I was invited to attend the launch event in Astana, Kazakhstan and celebrate this milestone moment.
On 11th December, in Astana, there was a remarkable atmosphere of achievement. Delegations, policymakers, experts, and practitioners gathered to celebrate what had been years of great effort. The day was marked by powerful speeches, reflections on regional needs, and deep recognition of the work ahead.
I had the honour of participating in the opening session, representing the European region of the NNC Challengers’ Committee. I joined a group of six student and early-career nurses from across the region with one shared message: the future of nursing depends on both strengthening the workforce today and nurturing the leaders of tomorrow.
What struck me most, and what gives me great hope, is the role early-career nurses played throughout the event. Having their voices open this major regional forum wasn’t just symbolic; it was intentional. For me it said: “Your energy and commitment are essential for transformation.”
For many of us, it was a privilege. But it was also a responsibility, a reminder of how much is expected of this generation and how crucial it is to rise to the challenge with humility, commitment, and sustained effort.
I have realised that empowering student and early-career nurses is not only about bringing them into systems; it’s about ensuring they stay, thrive, and transform those systems from within. Throughout the day, conversations with other panelists revealed something powerful: there is real potential for growth, innovation, and transformation if we continue to equip early-career nurses with the tools they need: Skill development, leadership training, policy engagement, research capacity or networks of peer support.
Leaving Astana, I carried more than memories of a successful launch. I carried a renewed sense of duty; to stay engaged, to speak up if it is needed, and to help ensure that the early-career nurses who follow us inherit systems that value their potential as much as their dedication. If we truly believe that empowering nurses transforms health systems, then we must start by trusting, investing in and standing behind the generation that will carry this transformation forward.
You can read the Strategic Directions for nursing and midwifery in Central Asia here.
