National Florence Nightingale Awards 2019

President of India, Ram Nath Kovind conferred the National Florence Nightingale Awards to 36 awardees, on 5 December 2019 on the occasion of International Nurses Day, at a ceremony in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. It was conferred in presence of Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) and Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Union Minister of State, Health & Family Welfare.

Key Highlights

Award to Late Lini Sajeesh from Kozhikode, Kerala was conferred posthumously and was received by her husband Sajeesh. The 30-year-old nurse passed away while on duty caring for a NIPAH infected patient in Kerala. The 35 other awardees who were conferred the award from President of India, included Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), Lady Health Visitors (LHVs), and nurses, from different States and UTs.

The kindness and service of nurses form an important pillar of recovery for those who are ailing and as a acknowledgement of their immense role in society and healthcare system that World Health Organisation (WGO) has dedicated 2020 as ‘Year of Nurses and Midwives’. The year 2020 also marks the 200th birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, after whom the awards have been named.

About National Florence Nightingale Awards

The awards were instituted in 1973 by Government of India as a mark of recognition for meritorious services rendered by nurses to the society. It is named after Florence Nightingale also known as ‘The Lady With the Lamp’. She was an English social reformer and the founder of modern nursing. Nurses play a vital role in addressing multiple health challenges, delivering quality and cost effective health care and responding to health needs of individuals, families and communities.