International Nurses Day 2023: Leaders Express Gratitude To “Our Nurses, Our Future”, Call Them “Heartbeat Of Healthcare”

New Delhi: May 12 is celebrated as International Nurses Day, which also marks the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, who is considered the founder of modern nursing. Marked annually with a unique theme, the day highlights the contribution of nurses in the healthcare sector. It is also an opportunity to thank nurses around the world for their selfless service in building a healthier society. The theme for International Nurses Day 2023 is ‘Our Nurses, Our Future’ which according to the International Council of Nurses (ICN), shines a light on a brighter future for nursing.

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As per an official press release, on this day,

ICN remembers the many tens of thousands of nurses and other health care workers who lost their lives to COVID-19, and takes this opportunity to remind the world of the many achievements nurses have made, and the many sacrifices nurses are making every day to ensure that people have access to the health care that they need, even in the most inhospitable and sometimes dangerous situations that they find themselves in.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare under the Government of India, expressed its gratitude to the nurses across the world through a social media post. The Union Health Ministry called to celebrate the healers who work tirelessly to secure global health and shared, “Nurses are the pulse of healthcare. Their dedication, compassion, and selfless service bring meaning to care.”

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya also expressed his gratitude to the “hardworking nursing staff who are working tirelessly towards safeguarding public health and creating a healthier planet.”

Dr Mandaviya called to honour their (nurses) care, compassion, dedication and selfless service to society and humanity.

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On International Nurses Day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah congratulated the “nurses whose hard work and selfless dedication form the foundation of our healthcare system.” He added, “Their extraordinary examples of sacrifice to save lives, especially during the pandemic, will continue to inspire humankind.”

National President of BJP, Jagat Prakash Nadda acknowledged the integral role of nurses in the medical system, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a social media post, he wrote, “They (Nurses) remained at the forefront of our battle against COVID-19 and helped our country steer through the once-in-a-century pandemic. On this International Nurses Day, we pay gratitude to our nursing staff for their exemplary service and commitment.”

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State for Entrepreneurship, Skill Development, Electronics & Technology, shared a short video on nurses, who served humanity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The visuals show nurses taking COVID vaccines to unreachable areas, covering tough terrains and providing preventive healthcare services.

Addressing them as the “heartbeat of healthcare”, Kiren Rijiju, Minister of Law and Justice, shared throwback pictures with nurses. Wishing them a happy International Nurses Day, Mr Rijiju also called them “superheroes in scrubs” and added, “Your work goes beyond just treating illnesses and injuries; you provide comfort, hope, and a shoulder to lean on during tough times. We salute you and thank you for your unwavering dedication.”

Also Read: What Is It Like To Be A Nurse In Times Of The COVID-19 Pandemic

Tejashwi Yadav, Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, also shared pictures with nurses and paid “respect to the nursing fraternity, the selfless heroes, for working tirelessly round the clock all over the world to alleviate sufferings of their patients. You people are guardian angels of the mankind.”

Ashok Gehlot, Chief Minister of Rajasthan, expressed his gratitude to all the nurses for helping keep care and compassion alive.

Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways, believes nurses “deserve recognition, appreciation, and respect” for their “selflessness, compassion, and expertise”, which have made a tremendous impact on the health and well-being of individuals and communities.

Also Read: Anxiety, Burnout And Depression Among Other Mental Health Issues Indian Nurses Faced During COVID-19: Study

Dr Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister of Goa, lauded the “tireless efforts” of nurses that “inspire us to strive toward a healthier tomorrow”.

Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal also thanked the nurses for serving humanity during the COVID-19 pandemic. He said, “Today we all are alive because of them.”

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.