The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee presented the National Florence Nightingale Awards to Nursing Personnel on the occasion of International Nurses Day today (May 12, 2013) at Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Speaking on the occasion, the President said the National Florence Nightingale Awards are a befitting recognition of the extraordinary services rendered by nurses who have served the sick and the ailing, with compassion, patience and courage. Nurses form a large and critical part of the health workforce who are the backbone of the healthcare system. They are the pivot in the Hospital-Doctor-Patient paradigm.
The President said today, in India, we have our own versions of Florence Nightingale – in all our States- in urban and in remote regions - who have earned the well-deserved reputation of being highly disciplined and professional. They have developed nursing into a noble specialisation and have themselves become synonymous with competence and unparalleled commitment. It is no wonder that they are appreciated - and their services sought - all over the world.
The President thanked the entire nursing fraternity in India for their dedication and service to the nation.
Among the dignitaries present on the occasion was Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad.
This release issued at 1250 hrs