By IANS,
New Delhi : President Pratibha Patil Thursday said that Indian nurses do good work and their services are appreciated in India and the world over.
“On this occasion, I call on nurses to take a pledge to work with the spirit of service exemplified by Florence Nightingale. I must add that Indian nurses have done good work and, I do know their services are appreciated in India and the world over,” said Patil, speaking at the Rashtrapati Bhavan after presenting National Florence Nightingale Awards to 35 nursing personnel from across India.
The nurses were awarded for their outstanding work. The award comprises Rs.50,000 cash reward, a certificate and a medal.
“Nursing is an integral part of any healthcare system. As we expand our medical infrastructure to cater to all sections of society and extend healthcare facilities to towns and rural areas across the country, there will be an even greater demand for nursing,” the president added.
Patil said that with far more technological devices that are available today, the training facilities for nurses must be upgraded in order to provide good quality care to patients.
Speaking on the occasion, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said the low doctor to nurse ratio in the country was a cause of concern and must be checked immediately.
“There are 11.28 lakh registered nurses in the country and we need 9 lakh more to bridge the gap. Therefore, 269 new nursing schools will come up soon especially in remote and backward areas,” he said, adding around 22,000 nurses would be trained at these schools annually.