On the occasion of International Nurses Day, the Health Minister Punjab Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu lauded the efforts being made by the nurses in the fight against the novel corona virus disease. He said it is impossible to even imagine to win the battle against COVID-19 without support of nursing staff who are pillars of health infrastructure.While highlighting their work and duties, Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu mentioned a recent video tweeted by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh in which nurses being made their best efforts to boost the morale of the COVID patients and were seen performing Gidha in the isolation ward of a government hospital, which is reflecting their hard work and dedication towards duty. He said that he salute the work being done by the nurses in this highly fragile scenario. They even have to stay away from their families while performing duty in this critical time for fear of giving infection to their family members and they are performing like warriors in the war against COVID-19.The Health Minister also said that it is a nurse who treats a patient without any discrimination and a doctor’s duties are incomplete without a nurse as she works like a mentor in the hospital. He said that this year’s theme for this day is “Nursing the World to Health”, is very much relevant in these times.
Notably, International Nurses Day celebrated at District Hospital Mohali where Director Family Welfare Dr. Prabhdeep Kaur Johal felicitated the Staff Nurses by presenting roses to them. All safe delivery champions of labour Room and SNCU were also presented Safe Delivery champions Batches and Roses. She said that Staff Nurses were backbone of Health Services and especially in times of COVID 19, the staff has been working tirelessly to provide Best of Health care services.Dr Areet SMO Incharge DH Mohali and Dr Inderdeep Kaur Program officer MCH were also present and appreciated the services provided by the Staff Nurses. Dr Areet applauded the Health Care Staff for their support in COVID 19 and in maintaining all essential services like MCH and immunization during this time.It is pertinent to mention here that this day is celebrated in the memory of birth of Florence Nightingale, a nurse who worked round the clock to take care of the soldiers during the Crimean war in 1853-56 and she led her team and reduced the death rate in the hospital by two-thirds. First Nursing Day was celebrated in 1965 by International Council of Nursing and in 1974 this council approved to celebrate Nursing day on the birth anniversary of the Florence Nightingale and this Nurses’ day is her 200th birth anniversary.