Bangalore: Minister for Health and Family Welfare R. Ashok announced here on Friday that the Government proposed to institute awards for doctors, nurses and health workers who worked for the welfare of society.

He was presenting the Seventh Florence Nightingale awards to nurses who have served society.

Mr. Ashok said the awards for doctors nurses and health workers would be instituted in the current year. Each recipient would be given a cash prize of Rs. 1 lakh and a gold medal. A committee to identify deserving persons who had contributed to the welfare of society would be constituted, he added. The Florence Nightingale awards have been instituted by the Anglo-Indian Unity Centre and the Florence Nightingale Nurses' Welfare Association.

Lack of infrastructure

Expressing concern over the large number of private nursing colleges that had come up in the past three years, Mr. Ashok said many of the institutions did not have proper infrastructure.

The Government would take steps to regulate the establishment of colleges. Action would be taken against the managements of colleges which did not fulfil the guidelines in this regard, he added.

"I have discussed the issue with Minister for Medical Education V.S. Acharya, and we plan to formulate a policy to regulate the establishment of nursing colleges," Mr. Ashok said.

He said the Government planned to start nursing colleges in cities other than Bangalore.

Regulating hospitals

With a view to regulating the functioning of private hospitals, it was thinking of amending the Nursing Homes Act, and a proposal had been sent to the Department of Law and Parliamentary Affairs, he said.

Legislative Council Chairman V.R. Sudarshan urged the Government to take steps to curb the establishment of nursing colleges. Nurses were not paid adequately at nursing homes, he said.

The award winners are: Sr. Teresa Maria of Andhra Pradesh, Girija R. of Kerala and Christine Pereira (special awards); S.N. Nanjunde Gowda, Principal, Icon College of Nursing; S.F. Billali, Principal, Bapuji College of Nursing, Davangere; A. Ambigavathi, Vani Vilas Hospital, Bangalore; R. Lalitha, District Hospital, Bidar; K. Aruna, ESI Hospital, Bangalore; Shivamma, K.R. Hospital, Mysore; Sarungbam Sandhyarani Devi, student, Bapuji College of Nursing, and Sannamma H.J., student, VIMS, Bellary.

Ivan Nigli, MLA and Chairman of the Anglo-Indian Unity Centre, was present.

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