Bhubaneswar: Acknowledging the strong commitment, compassion and dedication that nurses display in the practice of their profession, President Ram Nath Kovind, on Saturday, conferred the ‘National Florence Nightingale Awards- 2018’ to as many as 35 nurses from across the nation on the occasion of International Nurses’ Day at a function organised by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi.
Anita Kumari Parida, working as an Auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) under the Kalimela Community Health Centre (CHC) in Malkangiri district of Odisha, was one among the 35 awardees to have received the prestigious award.
Anita was selected for the Florence Nightingale award for her contribution during the outbreak of Japanese Encephalities (JE) in 2016 and her overall commitment in the field of healthcare.
Addressing the ceremony, Ram Nath said the entire nation is grateful to the nursing community for playing a vital role in keeping our country healthy and called nurses the true nation-builders.
He further stated that at present, there are 1.7 nurses per 1,000 people in India, and the world average is 2.5 nurses. In the last few years, the number of registered nurses and other health workers has crossed 27 lakh (till March 2017), but this number is not sufficient, the President added.
Meanwhile, proud of the recognition Anita achieved, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik took to Twitter to congratulate her. Patnaik tweeted, "Congratulations to Ms Anita Kumari Parida on being conferred Florence Nightingale Award by Hon’ble President Kovind. She is face of our front line warriors who are driving mission Health For All, earning national & international praise. Filled with pride over her recognition."
Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda also congratulated all the awardees and tweeted, “I congratulate all the Awardees of the Florence Nightingale Award-2018, who have been honored with this prestigious award for their exemplary service & thank each one of you for your yeoman service & contribution toward patient care and well-being of fellow citizens.”
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