A landmark year for TNAI
 

As the year 2011 draws to a close, it is opportune to cursorily recapitulate what went by in the landmark year it has been - and consider how best we can move ahead in the years to come.
   The year has historical significance for TNAI in not only having a postal stamp released on completion of one hundred golden years of our organisation in the service to the nursing community but also as important partner in health keeping of the nation through various measures. The release of postal stamp is recognition by the Government of India to endorse the services rendered by TNAI on sustained basis. The memory of the postal release function held on 30 September in the lawns of TNAI headquarters with Smt Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister of NCT of Delhi and others affirming their support with us shall linger for long.
   The year witnessed near completion of the long awaited Elderly Care Home (ECH) and the Central Institute of Nursing (CIN), the state-of-the-art institutions for the elderly and a nursing education centre, adjoining Delhi. We are endeavouring to get the upcoming premises inaugurated by some of the higher dignitary before the year end. It is indeed a dream coming true. I urge my colleagues, friends and others in general to shell out funds towards the ECH and CIN and inspire others to follow suit.
    In the year, 35 nurses were conferred the National Florence Nightingale Awards by Hon'ble President of India on 12 May, the International Nurses Day. Our congratulations to all of them with wishes that they continue rendering selfless, dedicated services to the humanity.
    Yet another feather to the nursing community was the conferment of coveted Padma Shri Award to Smt Shanti Teresa Lakra in honour of the Herculean job done by her in A&N Islands. She put in very hard efforts in providing succour to the ailing and the suffering among the remote tribal commu-nities in the Island state. We admire her unswerving spirit of service for the nation. TNAI headquarters also hosted a function to honour the yeoman's job done by Smt Lakra. We wish more nurses in the country take up cudgels to bring nursing relief to the people wherever the situation so demands.
    Though we have many achievements our services are not duly recognized and rewarded. End of 2011 attracted much media coverage regarding problems faced by nurses and the agitation of nurses in Mumbai and Calcutta. It is quite disheartening and pitiful to look into the pathetic situations and merciless act towards we, the nurses who are the followers of Nightingale rendering selfless services to the sick and suffering. The crisis of the nurses working in many corporate Hospitals in the metropolitan cities of the country has been projected well by the Medias. Nurses are underpaid compelled to do bonded labour, forced to work in adverse environment, no medical aid etc etc. As TNAI is much concerned about the welfare of the nurses, we are coming forward to seek the help of judiciary to get justice for our nurses. Let us unite together to fight for our rights and protect our nurses from such hazardous working environment.
    I believe, the spade work done in 2011 puts several challenges before us. And we can meet all that, provided we have good commitment, strength and will.
    Another significant event has been the decision of our cherished wish to refurbish the face, size and quality of our monthly Nursing Journal of India. After celebrating 100 glorious years of tireless service in communicating with our members all over India, Nursing journal of India comes to your hand in a redecorated form with focus on research articles, it is now sought to be brought out every two months and the routine news events shall be covered in a monthly bulletin, from January 2012 onwards. We look forward to specific suggestions and observations to improve and sustain the journal in new shape. God almighty wishes us to be more grateful to the gifts he has rendered through out these years.
    I applaud the work of the TNAI Journal Committee and Headquarters staff for putting their best foot forward in bringing out the enhanced version of The Nursing Journal of India.