COVID Time: Kerala’s nurses Taking care of the world

“Live life when you have it. Life is a splendid gift there is nothing small about it”. - Florence Nightingale

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

Since the deadly COVID-19 virus devastated the world in December 2019, the role of nurses, along with the doctors, has become more important and they are now being affectionately called ‘Guardian Angels’ by everyone. They have been appreciated for doing dedicated and selfless service in safeguarding the lives of virus patients. It was a matter of pride that Malayali nurses were on the frontline of the fight against the pandemic not only in the southern State but all over the world. Kerala nurses are found in huge numbers in the West, East, the Middle East, Down Under and several other countries, for many years.

Former British MP Anna Soubry observed in an interview that “some of the best nurses that we learn from actually, are from South India, from Kerala in particular”. For nurses from Kerala, it’s all in a day’s work.

Kerala Nurses Number one in Gulf Region
Facing challenges the Kerala nurses are serving the virus patients from the front. Along with doctors, police, and journalists, they have been considered frontline workers to wage war against the fast-spreading COVID-19 virus in Gulf Countries. Persons who were cured of the virus have thanked the Malayali nurses profusely for rendering round-the-clock service. The patients are at the mercy of the nurses and doctors since even their relatives dare to meet them while undergoing treatment in hospitals and COVID care centers. Their love and compassion made a difference in the lives of virus patients. They instill hope in the minds of patients, which is more vital in the treatment. Forgetting their family members and loved ones, the Malayali nurses offer the services at hospitals, which have become their homes. While at work they are not able to get in touch with their family members even through cell phones. They have dedicated themselves to the profession.

Kerala’s nurses, Malayali’s pride
Kerala is known as the nursing capital of India. Kerala has the maximum number of registered nurses in India, and they can be found all over the world. According to the Indian Nursing Council, of the 20 lakh registered nurses in India, 18 lakh are from Kerala. Historically, intrepid nurses from Kerala travelled to remote corners of the country and the world — a trend that continues today. A WHO report noted that “nurses trained in India form a significant portion of internationally educated nurses working overseas, second to nurses trained in the 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. Compassion and care, that’s what make Malayali nurses outstanding. If any crisis arises, definitely there will be Malayali nurses as front liners. Malayali nurses doing good work abroad is due to their multidisciplinary education. This kind of multidisciplinary knowledge is lacking in nursing graduates abroad. Former British MP Anna Soubry observed in an interview that “some of the best nurses that we learn from actually, are from South India, from Kerala in particular”. For nurses from Kerala, it’s all in a day’s work.

Kerala Government Initiative for Nursing Recruitment
The Overseas Development and Employment Promotion Consultants (ODEPC) will enhance the recruitment of doctors, nurses, and other professionals to work establishments in European countries this year. As many as 250 nurses were selected for appointment in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Discussions were on for recruitment to Germany and Japan. Countries such as Kuwait and Qatar had also evinced interest in directly recruiting nurses, paramedical staff, drivers, and other skilled workers in different sectors. First Batch(22)nurses are placed in Germany recently.