BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, May 21 (Xinhua) -- Brunei is currently facing a shortage of 800 to 1,000 nurses, which was evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Health Minister Haji Mohd Isham.

According to local media on Sunday, the health minister said that the world could be facing an estimated shortage of 13 million nurses by 2030 if no action is made now.

"The pandemic and systematic underfunding are just a few main reasons that have led to the shortage of nurses and midwives."

"This may sound unimaginable but at one time, the shortage of nurses and midwives was a crisis worse than the pandemic itself," the health minister said.

He added that recent history had shown that nurses and midwives in Brunei have the potential to perform under pressure and demonstrate dedication to move forward.