Florence Nightingale Award for MNS Addl DG

New Delhi, May 12 (UNI) Major General (Mrs) Shashi Bala of the Military Nursing Service (MNS) was today felicitated with the prestigious 'Florence Nightingale Award' for nursing services by President APJ Abdul Kalam.

Maj Gen Bala -- presently the Additional Director General of the MNS at the Army HQ here -- was among the 17 nursing personnel from across the country recognised for their meritorious services to the nursing profession.

The award function -- organised on the occasion of the 'International Nurses Day' to mark the birthday of Florence Nightingale -- was attended, among others, by Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, Minister of State for Health Panabaka Lakshmi and Health and Family Welfare Secretary Naresh Dayal.

Maj Gen Bala, who has 37 years of nursing experience, was earlier awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal for distinguished service.

She belongs to New Delhi and had her early nursing education in Mumbai. She holds a Masters degree in Nursing. Immediately after joining MNS, she rendered service to battle casualties of the 1971 Indo-Pak War.

She is also an eminent researcher, academician and author of several books on various aspects of nursing care.

National Awards for Nurses are given as a mark of highest recognition for the meritorious services of the nurses and nursing profession in the country.

Till 1989, a total of 31 awards were allocated (18 for Nurses, 10 for Auxiliary Nurse Midwives and three for Lady Health Visitors).

However, this Award could not be continued and has been revived only from this year.

One award is earmarked for each State/Union Territory subject to the availability of nursing personnel with meritorious services.

Each award carries a Certificate of Merit and Cash award of Rs 50,000.

UNI