Florence Nightingale Award For Odisha’s Premalata Barik

Florence Nightingale Award For Odisha’s Premalata Barik

Doctors may prescribe us medicines and therapy but it is the nurses who help us through our sickness and give us the strength to stand back up on our feet. Swedish economist and diplomat Dag Hammarskjöld once said, “Constant attention by a good nurse may be just as important as a major operation by a surgeon,” which is very true. 

Odia healthcare worker Premalata Barik was conferred the prestigious National Florence Nightingale Award 2020 for her dedication and care for her patients during the COVID 19 pandemic. She dedicatedly discharged her duties during the raging pandemic and provided relief to people in distress.   

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik congratulated Barik via a tweet and wrote ‘your selfless and dedicated service to people is an inspiration for everyone.

The Health and Family Welfare Department of Odisha Government congratulated Barik via tweet for her dedicated service to the people of Odisha. 

She was among the 51 nurses, who were felicitated by President Ram Nath Kovind at a virtual ceremony in New Delhi on Wednesday. Barik is a multipurpose health supervisor of Community Health Centre at Kujang in Jagatsinghpur.

The President said that it was the unrelenting support provided by the nurses, which has helped us in fighting the COVID 19 pandemic.

Barik has consistently helped in delivery of an average of 250 babies every month till July 2013 on her mission of zero maternal and infant mortality. 

In 2014 she was assigned the job of lady health visitor. Since then she has been visiting households to create awareness on institutional deliveries and bringing pregnant women to the CHC for delivery. Barik also ensures that pregnant women in Kujang get benefits under Janani Surakhya Yojana. 

Barik is a resident of Deulisahi of Raghunathpur block of Jagatsinghpur district. She completed her nursing  training from Kendrapara in 1982 and lady health visitor training from MKCG MCH at Berhampur in 1999. 

Apart from attending pregnant women, Barik also visits areas around Paradip and Kujang to  spread awareness on COVID 19, dengue, Japanese encephalitis and other diseases with the help of local women SHGs. She also visits old age homes to monitor the health condition of the inmates. 

According to CDMO Bijaya Panda, Barik has always made the health centre proud by providing  quality and timely medical care to pregnant women who are dependent on the CHC. Health visitor Premalata Barik is instrumental in improving the number of institutional deliveries in Kujang and Paradip areas. 

The Florence Nightingale awards were instituted in 1973 to recognise the meritorious services rendered by nurses to society.