In a little over 3 months, the coronavirus pandemic has changed the world in so many ways, bringing humanity closer together and reaffirming the importance of health for all. Held every year on May 12 as the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth, this year’s celebration will be more remarkable as the World Health Organization (WHO) has designated 2020 as ‘The Year of the Nurse and Midwife’, and because it will be the 200th anniversary of Nightingale’s birth.

To mark the occasion, International Council of Nurses ( ICN) is planning and coordinating a wide range of activities throughout the year to pay tribute to their selfless spirit of nurses. International Nurses Day 2020 Date and Theme: Know History and Significance of The Day Honouring Florence Nightingale.

History of Nursing Day

Born on 12 May, 1820, Florence Nightingale is known as the foundational philosopher of modern nursing. During the Crimean War, she was put in charge of nursing British and allied soldiers in Turkey where she used to spend several hours in the wards caring for the patients, doing rounds at night with a lamp in her hand and so was famously portrayed as "Lady with the Lamp". Due to her efforts of formalising nursing education, the first scientifically based nursing school, the Nightingale School of Nursing, at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London was opened in 1860. She was also instrumental in setting up training for midwives and nurses in workhouse infirmaries. Also, she was the first woman to be awarded the Order of Merit in 1907.

Every year, since 1965, ICN celebrate ‘International Nurses Day to commemorate efforts of Nightingale and lakhs of nurses and midwives around the world. ICN distributes ‘International Nurses Day Kit’ which consists of educational and public information materials which can be used by nurses amongst the public.

Contribution of Nurses

Nurses play a critical role in health promotion, disease prevention, delivering primary and community care and care in emergency settings. International Nurses Day 2020: From Florence Nightingale to Linda Richards, Here Are Most Iconic Nurses We Must All Know About.

Today, nearly 50% of the global health workforce is constituted OF nurses and midwives making their contributions immensely important to ensure healthcare. But there is a global shortage of health workers and the largest shortage of nurses and midwives IS in South East Asia and Africa.

India has 1.7 nurses per 1,000 population, 43% less than the World Health Organisation norm (3 per 1,000). This includes nurses, midwives, women health visitors and auxiliary nurse midwives. Overall, India has 3.07 million registered nursing personnel, government told the Rajya Sabha on March 3, 2020.

It is believed that to reach Sustainable Development Goal 3 on ‘health and well-being’, the world will need an additional 9 million nurses and midwives by the year 2030.

Keeping that in mind, every year a theme is selected to forge International Nurses day. The 2020 theme is Nurses: A voice to lead - Nursing the World to Health.

WHO’s strategic directives for Nurses and Midwives

Some key resolutions on nursing and midwifery have been adopted by the WHO World Health Assembly to augment nursing and midwifery services. The most recent resolution, WHA 64.7, gives WHO the mandate to develop and strengthen strategies such as: capacity of nursing and midwifery workforce through the provision of support to Member States on developing targets, action plans and forging strong interdisciplinary health teams as well as strengthening the dataset on nursing and midwifery. The Global strategic directions for strengthening nursing and midwifery 2016–2020, being the third in the series follows the versions of 2002–2008 and 2011–2015. Happy International Nurses Day 2020 Wishes, Quotes & HD Images: WhatsApp Stickers, Facebook Messages & GIF Greetings to Honour Nurses.

The Global strategic directions are organized according to the following four thematic areas:

Ensuring an educated, competent and motivated nursing and midwifery workforce within effective and responsive health systems at all levels and in different settings;

Optimizing policy development, effective leadership, management and governance;

Working together to maximize the capacities and potentials of nurses and midwives through intra and interprofessional collaborative partnerships, education and continuing professional development; and mobilizing political will to invest in building effective evidence-based nursing and midwifery workforce development.

How Day is Celebrated Across Globe

This day is celebrated annually by organising a candle lamp service in the Westminster Abbey, London. A candle lamp is handed over from one nurse to another which symbolises passing the knowledge from one nurse to another to place it on the High Altar. At the Florence Nightingale's burial place at the St. Margaret’s Church, a day after her birthday, a big ceremony is also held.

In US and Canada a whole week this day is celebrated as national Nursing Week. In Australia also, varieties of nursing ceremonies are organised. This whole week health care services on international level are targeted. Even American Nurses Association supports and encourages the celebration and work of the Nurses. Several activities are also held like educational seminars, variety of community events, debates, competitions, discussions etc. Also, nurses are honoured and appreciated by the friends, doctors, administrators and patients by distributing gifts, flowers, organising dinners etc.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 11, 2020 11:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).