On December 5, Thursday, The National Florence Nightingale Award-2019 was awarded to the Kerala nurse Lini PN. The nurse died of the deadly Nipah virus that she contracted while treating a patient in 2018.
As reported by a news agency, the president said, “Nurses play a vital role in delivering quality and cost-effective healthcare, addressing multiple health challenges and responding to the health needs of individuals, families, and communities.”
Who is Lini?
The 28-year-old Lini was a nurse at Perambra Taluk hospital, Kerala. She died of the Nipah outbreak in the state on 21 May 2018 after treating the first unconfirmed victim of Nipah, Sabith and the first index case of the virus infection at the hospital.
The mother of two young boys, Lini died at the intensive care unit (ICU) of Kozhikode Medical college hospital, where she was admitted after developing multiple complications on May 21.
After reaching the medical college hospital, Lini had asked the doctors to place her in an isolation ward, fearing the spread of Nipah. She also did not allow her family members from visiting her fearing that the disease could be contracted.
Acknowledging her sacrifice, the state government of Kerala changed the name of the award given to the best nurse as the ‘Sister Lini Puthussery Award’. The World Health Organisation (WHO) also paid its tribute to Lini for her timely alert over the virus outbreak.
Also, to cherish Lini’s memory, a rural child care center (Anganwadi) is constructed at her birthplace and the new block of Perambra hospital will be named after Lini. The Kerala Government Nurses Association (KGNA) has also formed a charitable trust in her name.
