According to Indian Nursing Council, of the 20 lakh registered nurses in India, 18 lakh are from Kerala

Kochi: The Covid-19 pandemic has not just rattled lives of millions but has put Indian healthcare machinery under tremendous pressure.

From doctors to nurses to support staff, thousands of healthcare professionals have fallen to this deadly virus which continues to wreak havoc.

“Throughout history, nurses have played crucial frontline roles in the fight against epidemics and pandemics. They play a critical role in fight against Covid-19, pulling long shifts and putting themselves at risk of infections to care for patients,” Dr. Naresh Purohit, Executive Member of the Federation of Hospital Administrators, said on Wednesday.

“The fact is that the world will not win the battle against Covid-19 without nurses,” he felt.

Speaking at a webinar organised by Sree Narayana Institute of Medical Sciences, Ernakulam, on the occasion of International Nurses Day yesterday, Dr. Purohit informed that Kerala has the maximum number of registered nurses in India, and they can be found all over the world.

According to Indian Nursing Council, of the 20 lakh registered nurses in India, 18 lakh are from Kerala. A recent WHO report said, nurses trained in India form a significant portion of internationally educated nurses working overseas, second to nurses trained in Philippines.

It is estimated that over 30 percent of nurses who studied in Kerala work in the UK or the US, with 15 percent in Australia and 12 percent in the Middle East. A significant number work in other parts of India, with Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai being among their favoured cities.