New Delhi, Nov 17 Nurses are the backbone of the healthcare system, said officials at the Health Ministry on Monday, while sharing India's progress in the Nursing Healthcare System.
Speaking at a two-day roundtable on strengthening the nursing workforce in India and Australia, the officials deliberated on best practices.
The event, led by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in collaboration with Edith Cowan University (ECU), Australia, and Jhpiego, aimed at fostering deeper cooperation to join pathways to build a resilient, future-ready nursing workforce aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Nurses are the backbone of healthcare,” said Akanksha Ranjan, Deputy Secretary (Nursing and Dental), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, while emphasising the need to build a more resilient and competency-based nursing workforce.
Ranjan also highlighted the gap in the global nursing workforce.
“While 2.9 million nurses serve globally, the shortage stands at 4.5 million, creating significant global demand and opening pathways for ethical and well-governed nurse migration,” the expert said.
“Nurses remain the heartbeat of the healthcare system globally,” added
Dr. Deepika Khakha, Nursing Advisor, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Ministry of Health.
Highlighting the progress in the Nursing Healthcare System, she stated that, “India’s 3.5 million-strong nursing workforce continues to serve a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, supported by a robust ecosystem of more than 5,000 nursing institutes offering multiple nursing programmes”.
Further, she informed that the government is significantly investing in the health workforce, including the establishment of 157 new nursing institutions in the future, and the modernisation of the nursing curriculum under the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Act, 2023.
“Competency-based education, digital learning platforms, enhanced clinical exposure, continuous professional development, modern regulatory frameworks, and strong leadership training will remain key pillars in advancing the quality of India’s nursing workforce,” she noted.
The discussions identified priority areas for bilateral collaboration, including faculty development, joint research, exchange programmes, and digital learning innovations.
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