Delhi: J. P. Nadda, Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of India conferred the Florence Nightingale Awards to BK Rupa Upadhye, Chief of Nursing Services, J.W Global Hospital, Mount Abu.
Sister Rupa was instrumental in developing a clinical skill lab in the hospital. She is the first female nurse in India for High Altitude Medical Rescues Operations and had special training by Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force.She had rescued 5600 victims in hazardous conditions in hilly areas. She has participated in many health rallies and health awareness programmes. Her passion and selfless service in nursing and people of India are highly commendable. After leaving voluntarily the government service from Mumbai, she works as nursing officer for the past 26 years on honorary basis in the J.W Global Hospital, managed by Brahma Kumaris, for the past 26 years, in Mount Abu.
The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, was the Chief Guest at the International Nurses Day Celebrations organized by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare at Rashtrapati Bhawan, here today. At the function, Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare conferred the Florence Nightingale Awards to 35 nurses from across the country in presence of Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare and Smt Preeti Sudan, Secretary (Health).
The President congratulated the award winners and said that the awardees display India’s unity in diversity. He further stated that nursing plays a very vital role in keeping the country healthy. “Any nurse, in a remote village, who is helping a person fight a serious illness, is a nation builder,” the President said.
Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Shri J P Nadda congratulated the award winners and appreciated their exemplary services. Acknowledging the strong caring and compassionate attitude of the nursing community, the Health Minister said that we are proud of all the winners and wish that they will be an inspiration for all the nursing personnel in the country and motivate them to provide quality nursing services and standards.
Florence Nightingale awards were instituted in the year 1973 by the Government as a mark of recognition for the meritorious services rendered by nurses to the society. These awards are given on 12th May every year. A total of 35 awards i.e. 20 for Nurses, 12 for Auxiliary Nurse Mid-wives and 3 for Lady Health Visitors are being awarded to outstanding Nursing Personnel. The award carries a medal, a certificate, a citation certificate and Rs. 50,000/-in cash to each of the awardees.