International Nurses Day 2022: PM Modi Along With Other Leaders Acknowledge The Vital Role Of Nurses In Keeping The Planet Healthy

New Delhi: Every year, May 12, is commemorated as International Nurses Day to honour the work done by nurses, who are the critical caregivers and do every possible thing to build a much healthier society. Expressing gratitude and appreciation for the nurses on the special day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media
and lauded the “dedication and compassion” of nurses. He acknowledged their “vital role” in keeping the planet healthy and said,

Nurses play a vital role in keeping our planet healthy. Their dedication and compassion are exemplary. International Nurses Day is a day to reiterate our appreciation to all nursing staff for their exceptional work even in the most challenging of situations.

Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu too expressed gratitude for the nurses and said,

On this day, I express my gratitude to our nurses for their vital role in our healthcare system. My greetings to all the hardworking nurses on the occasion of International Nurses’ Day today. From administering medications to patients, monitoring their treatment or caring for the ill, they do it all covering the entire spectrum of caregiving with devotion.

Giving a big thumbs up for the exemplary work done by the nurses during the pandemic, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya said,

On #InternationalNursesDay, we express our gratitude to hardworking nursing staff for serving humankind with utmost dedication during the ongoing #COVID19 pandemic. Their tireless efforts are saving precious lives, strengthening our medical system and ensuring well-being of all.

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Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari also shared his message and saluted the nursing fraternity for their dedication, determination, selflessness and courage. He said,

They have shown exemplary commitment and are playing a pivotal role in safeguarding public health.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan too greeted nurses across the world and said the mankind is indebted to the sacrificial services of the community who bravely stood at the forefront of the struggle against COVID-19. On his social media post, pointing out that this year’s nurse’s day called for respecting and ensuring their rights, the chief minister said each person in the society must be prepared to take up this message. He also said that his government would take necessary steps to create better job opportunities for nurses and good facilities at their workplace. He added,

We should be able to recognise the significance of nurses’ social responsibility and ensure that it is being delivered in the best possible manner. We must be willing to give them the support they need for this.

Reiterating the fact that nurses play an important role, Chief Minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot said,

Nurses have a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the public health system. #InternationalNursesDay today is an occasion to show our gratitude towards the nursing community for their dedication, commitment and selfless service.

Also Read: From A Care Giver To A Care Seeker: Story Of A COVID Warrior Who Is Back On Frontlines After Defeating Coronavirus

Sharing a picture with the nurses, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said,

I salute our nurses, who are the backbone of our healthcare system. Their hard work and dedication keep Indians healthy and saves lives. Thank you for your selfless service.

About International Nurses Day

The International Council of Nurses began commemorating International Nurses Day in 1965. The day coincides with the birthday of the legendary Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.

This year, the day is marked with the theme – Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Invest in Nursing and respect rights to secure global health, which focuses on the need to protect, support and invest in the nursing profession to strengthen health systems around the world.

NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.