President to honor 35 nurses with Nightingale Award

The award is given on 12th May every year on the occasion of International Nurses Day and it carries 50, 000 rupees, a certificate, a citation certificate and a medal.

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New Delhi:  Commemorating the International Nurses Day on May 12, President Pranab Mukherjee will honor 35 people from medical nursing profession for their meritorious services in India.

The National Florence Nightingale Award recognizes the professionals from various categories of the profession for their services with devotion, sincerity, dedication and compassion, said an official release.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare instituted the award in 1973. It is given to the outstanding personnel employed in health facilities of government, voluntary organizations, mission institutions and other private institutions, following recommendation from state government.

The award is given on 12th May every year on the occasion of International Nurses Day and it carries 50, 000 rupees, a certificate, a citation certificate and a medal.

Since inception, 237 nurses have been decorated with this award till 2012. With this year’s 35 awards, the total number of nurses awarded so far will be 272.

The award is named after Florence Nightingale, who was born on May 12, 1820 and is considered the founder of modern nursing. Since 1965, the International Council of Nurses celebrates Nightingale's birthday as International Nurses Day globally.

The International Council of Nurses (ICN) commemorates this day each year with the production and distribution of educational and public information materials for use by nurses with a new theme.

This year's theme -- Closing the Gap – is focused on the Millennium Development Goals of reducing child mortality, improving maternal health and combating HIV / AIDS, malaria and other diseases.