Literature from the region documents the challenges pertaining to socio-cultural aspects in developing a local nursing workforce.
Nurses'social status is a discouraging factor to remain in the profession.
Additionally,many female nurses leave the profession after marriage().
Socio-cultural factors make recruitment and retention of nurses from the region difficult, due to both the nature of the work (females having to work with males, evening/night shifts) and poor perceptions of nursing as nurses are perceived as patients' maids and doctors'assistants ().