The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has declared the School of Nursing at the Government headquarters hospital here as a ‘Model School of Nursing’ and sanctioned a sum of ₹52.50 lakh for developing the quality of nursing education.
Acting on the recommendations of the National Health Mission of Tamil Nadu and Tamil Nadu State Health Society, the Ministry has declared the General Nursing Midwifery (GNM) – the School of Nursing at the headquarters hospital – as the Model School of Nursing in the State.
The GNM had won the acclaim for meeting various norms of the Indian Nursing Council (INC), officials said. In all, 23 GNMs in the State, including 11 attached to the Government medical college hospitals in various districts vied for the coveted status, and the district headquarters hospital won the race, they said.
After making a humble beginning as an Auxiliary Nursing Midwifery (ANM), it became GNM in 2004 but continued to function in the 35-year-old dilapidated building in the hospital complex.
Recently, the GNM, with the total strength of 300 nursing students, moved to a new building built by the Public Works Department (Health) at a total cost of ₹8.17 crore.
“We are happy and proud that the Union Ministry has accorded the prestigious status to us. We will improve the quality of nursing education and live up to the expectations of the Ministry,” R. Parthipan, Vice Principal, said. A sum of ₹52.50 lakh would be utilised for upgrading the library, creating smart class rooms, and setting up an advanced computer laboratory and skill laboratory, he said.
The Ministry had declared the ANM training school at the Community Health Centre, Poovanthi, in the neighbouring Sivaganga district as a ‘Model ANM School’ in the State, officials said.
