NEW DELHI: Suganthi K, an auxiliary nurse midwife in a village primary health centre in Tamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar figures among the 30 dedicated caregivers who have been awarded the prestigious National Florence Nightingale Award-2023.
President Droupadi Murmu conferred the National Florence Nightingale Awards for 2022 and 2023 on Thursday. The awardees for 2022 include Tejavath Susheela (Telangana), Dr Poreddi Vijayalakshmi (Karnataka) and Ganapathy Santhi (Tamil Nadu).
Geetha A R from Kerala was awarded for her selfless work for the year 2023. Geetha was awarded for her work during the Covid-19 pandemic for which she had received the best hospital staff award for 2021 and 2022. She works as a grade-1 nursing officer at A R Rahim Memorial District Hospital in Kollam, Kerala. Nagarathna T from Karnataka received the award for the year 2023. Working as an ANM in sub-centre Honnali, General Hospital Honnali in Karnataka, she is instrumental in improving health services in five villages.
She achieved the target of Covid-19 vaccination by immunising 35,000 people in her area. Seeing her work and dedication, the state government awarded her the state-level Florence Nightingale Award in 2022. She has also received the Covid warrior award.
Sathiyakani Thangaraj, Deputy Nursing Superintendent at Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, introduced a mobile app for dialysis patients.
She contributed to operation room sterilisation techniques and reduced hospital-acquired infections. She has worked in high-risk areas of disaster and flood relief campaigns during disasters. An MSc nurse, Thangaraj, who is now pursuing a PhD, has received various awards for her outstanding contributions to de-addiction, mental health, cyclone and flood relief work, rescue operations and work during Tsunami. For her many contributions, she has bestowed the nightingale award in 2023.
Srinagar-based Firdousa Jan, a grade-1 staff nurse with an MSc nursing qualification, is already a name in Jammu and Kashmir. Jan, who has written several research papers and has published 16 articles on mental health and psychiatric nursing, is now pursuing a PhD. Working in Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, she is active in health awareness camps and counselling of adolescents.
Her work with Covid-19 patients and motivating slum dwellers to take Covid vaccines have already earned her intensive media coverage in the local papers. Susheela, who has 25 years of experience as an ANM and works in Erragutta Primary Health Centre in Telangana, has dedicated herself to the Adivasi tribes of GottiKoya. Roads do not even connect to this remote area.
Vijayalakshmi, a clinical instructor at the College of Nursing, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, developed the hospital’s telenursing practice guidelines 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic and was part of its helpline in providing counselling services. With a PhD, she has received many accolades.
Santhi, a staff nurse at the Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children, Egmore, Chennai, has 24 years of clinical experience. She is the one who established the human milk bank for the first time in Tamil Nadu in 2014, and her contribution to managing Covid-19-affected newborns was remarkable.
India’s caregivers par excellence
President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday conferred the National Florence Nightingale Awards for 2022 and 2023 to 30 dedicated caregivers from across the country. They were lauded with the prestigious award for excellent contributions in their line of work
Suganthi K Suganthi is a village nurse at the Primary Health Centre in Tamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar. She was actively involved in promoting female sterilisation and reducing anaemia among adolescents.
Geetha AR Geetha is a grade-1 nursing officer at AR Rahim Memorial District Hospital in Kerala’s Kollam district. Geetha, who has 20 years of experience, has received a vocational excellency award during Covid-19.
Sathiyakani Thangaraj Sathiyakani is a deputy nursing superintendent at JIPMER, Puducherry. She has introduced a mobile app for dialysis patients and contributed to operation room sterilisation techniques.
Nagarathna T Nagarathna T is an ANM at Honnali sub-centre in Karnataka, where she has improved health services in five villages. She has participated in health programmes conducting deliveries and providing family welfare services.
Firdousa Jan Firdousa Jan is a grade-1 staff nurse at the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute in Srinagar. She has published 16 articles on mostly mental health and psychiatric nursing. She was appreciated by local and state authorities.
Neeraj Tamboliya Neeraj Tamboliya is a senior nursing officer in SPNCHI (JK Lon Hospital) in Rajasthan’s Jaipur. He has rescued road traffic accident victims and saved a life by doing CPR in case of cardiac arrest.
