Government of India would provide Rs. 10 crore each as financial assistance to set up new and strengthen the existing General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) Schools in the State and the amount would be shared in the ratio 85:15 by the Central and State Governments respectively, stated Health and Family Welfare Minister Shri Kaul Singh Thakur while presiding over 'Nursing Week' themed 'Closing the Gap, Millennium Development Goal' organised by Himachal Pradesh Trained Nursing Association, at IGMC here today.
Besides establishing new GNM School in district Chamba in Government sector, the same would be strengthened in Bilaspur, Mandi, Nahan, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda and Rampur. He said that Ministry of Health, Government of India had provided a sum of Rs. 520.50 lakh for upgrdation of Nursing School at IGMC to Nursing College. He said that Health was one of the priority sector of the Government and a provision of Rs. 1187 crore had been made in current financial year budget for this sector.
He directed the management of private nursing colleges to fillup all vacant posts of teaching and non teaching staff before commencement of academic session 2013-14, so that the standard of nursing education could be maintained. He said that the Government had approved Centre of Excellence of Nursing Education at Tanda Medical College and there was a proposal to start B.Sc, Degree Courses, M.Sc and Phd in Nursing and Rs. 20 crore would be provided by GoI for the same. He said that in order to meet shortage of nursing personnel, the Government was opening ANM school in district Kullu besides process to fill up vacant post Principal Nursing Officer and Sister Tutor was in progress.
The Minister said that no tuition fee would be charged from the trainees belonging to IRDP/BPL families in Government GNM Schools besides no fee would be charged by private nursing institutions for hospital attachment from the candidates belonging such families. The Minister said that 200 vacant posts of doctors would be filled up out of which 100 posts would be filled up this year. He also assured the Association for sympathetic consideration of the demands.
Director, Medical Education, Dr. Jaishri Sharma also spoke on the occasion. Principal, IGMC, Dr. K.K. Kaushal welcomed the Minister and detailed about the activities undertaken during the Nursing Week. President, Himachal Pradesh Trained Nursing Association Smt. Jyoti Walia also welcomed the Minister and said that Nursing was a pure and selfless service towards the suffering humanity. She apprised the Minister about various demands of the Association. The students of Nursing School and college also performed colourful cultural programme on the occasion. General Secretary, Smt. Urmil Guleria, Principal, Dental College, Dr. R.P. Luthra, Senior Medical Superintendent Dr. Ramesh and other senior officers of the department were also present on the occasion.