India Launches Nightingale Declaration

The Nightingale Declaration Campaign was officially launched in India — in January, 2008 — as Nurse Administrators from across the country met at their Forty-Second National Ten-days Course on Management Techniques and Clinical Updates for Nursing Personnel, convened in Bangalore, organised  by the Indian Society of Health Administrators (ISHA) .

The Nightingale Declaration for a Healthy World was introduced by Dr. Ashok Sahni, ISHA Professor and Hony Executive Director, who shared a graphic and audio presentation about the Campaign. The presentation — titled “May a Better Way Be Opened” — quotes Florence Nightingale, who wrote that she envisioned a time 100 to 150 years in her “future” when nurses would be able to promote health on a global scale.

“May A Better Way Be Opened” has been created by NIGH to honour the memory of Miss Asoka Roy, the first Indian Editor of the “Nursing Journal of India,” who later became a pioneer of midwifery education in the United States. It is also features rare and historic World Health Organization photographs of nurses, nursing educators, nursing students and midwives from across the world, including photographs of Indian nurses from the early 1950s.

ISHA’s Dr.Sahni — whose name has been linked as synonymous with the words, “Nursing in India” — shared his full enthusiasm for this project, informing conference participants that he expected to co-ordinate with all Indian hospitals, associations, and colleagues in a mutual goal to support the United Nations Resolutions proposed by the Nightingale Declaration Campaign. Dr. Sahni’s response to requests from the Nursing Profession has consistently been: ‘How can I help?”

All the participants at the conference chose to sign their own commitment to the Nightingale Declaration and to take the featured graphic and audio presentation — packaged in a CD format, together with Declaration postcards and related letters of introduction, for their own follow-up presentations to their respective hospitals and schools of nursing. 

Participants of the Indian launch of the Nightingale Declaration Campaign

Participating in this Indian launch of the NDC were conference delegates:

• from Bhutan: Mrs. Tshering Chhozom, Mrs. Tashi Tshomo and Mrs. Nima Lhamo of Gomtu Hospital;

• from Bihar: Mrs. Rekha Kumari of the NTPC Hospital;

• from Gujarat: Mrs. Mariamma George, Mrs. Sarojben S Dholakia and Mrs. Bharatiben B. Patel of the Kribhco Hospital;

• from Jammu and Kashmir: Mrs. Halima Jahan and Mrs. Muzamil Jan of the Doctors Colony Lal Bazar;

• from Karnataka: Ms. Malathi K of Manipal University College of Nursing;

• from Maharashtra: Major V. Radha of the Armed Forces School of Nursing, Mrs. Vimal Anilkumar Jagtap and Mrs. Tungar Nirmala Vijay of the India Security Press Hospital; from Rajasthan: Smt. Usha Mishra and Smt. Kalawati Mahawar of the RAPS Hospital;

• from Orissa: Mrs. Kanaklata Biswal, Mrs. Magdali Burh and Mrs. Bharati Kar of the Ispat General Hospital;

• from Tamil Nadu: Mrs. P Shakuntala of Cross Street Occupational Health Services, Mrs. R Rajalakshmi of the NLC Hospital in Tamil Nadu and Mrs. P Rukmani of the Neyveli Lignite Hospital; 

• from Uttar Pradesh: Mrs. K Thomas Shaktinagar and Mrs. Baby V. Thomas of the Sanjeevani Hospital;

• from West Bengal:  Lt. Col. Mary Anjalin of the Kolkata School of Nursing Command Hospital, Ms. Runki Mandal and Ms. Sucheta Sarkar of the B. M. Birla Heart Research Centre.

• • Joining Dr. Sahni were Conference Resource Faculty, from Bangalore: Dr. Sita Bhateja, Dr. Deepak Sharan, Dr. Babu Urumese Palathy, Dr. Mrs. Dulcie David, Dr. P N Halagi and Sr. Ignatiamma A.
    
    
    
  • Phalakshi Manjrekar, now on NIGH's Board of Directors, oversaw the nationwide outreach of this plan.

    
    The Indian Society of Health Administrators has a campus covering approx. 32,000 sq.ft built area consisting of conference rooms, seminar rooms, library, preventive health check up facilities, administrative offices and guest house accommodation for about 50 on a land measuring 1950 sq/mts., in the heart of Bangalore City. ISHA has organized to date  over 25 national conferences and conducted over 1200 training programmes in which over 200,000 professionals and administrators have participated. The association publishes its Scientific Journal “Health Administrator”, and published books on critical subjects for training and awareness building.
    
    In India it is rare to have such a facility, faculty and inviting environment for nurses to further their management and professional development. ISHA has advanced computer facilities, latest hardware staffed by competent computer programmers for data analysis, documentation, publishing, and research activities.  ISHA has a library containing over 10,000 volumes: books, journals, and reports, including the largest Nursing Library in India.
    
    For further information, please contact:
    
    INDIAN SOCIETY OF HEALTH ADMINISTRATORS (ISHA)
    India Health Foundation, Preventive Health Training and Research Institute
    "Baba's Gyan Sarovar", 3009, II-A Main,17th Cross,Banashankari II Stage,
    K R Road,Bangalore-560 070
    Cable: HEALTHADMN
    Tel: 080-26771313 / 26772223 / 26771314 / 26771373 / 26771383
    Fax: 080-26771314/26771383    
    Web: http://www.ishaindia.com
    E-mail: ashoksah@blr.vsnl.net.in