India-Australia nursing roundtable concludes, focuses on strengthening workforce, global health

New Delhi, Nov 18 (PTI) The two-day India-Australia roundtable on strengthening the nursing workforce concluded on Tuesday in New Delhi, marking a significant milestone in bilateral cooperation aimed at enhancing nursing education, leadership, and global health preparedness.

The event was jointly convened by the Union Health Ministry, Jhpiego, and Edith Cowan University, Australia.

Delivering the keynote address, Akanksha Ranjan, Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, highlighted the Government of India's unwavering commitment to transforming the nursing landscape.

She pointed to the recent approval of 157 new government nursing colleges co-located with existing medical colleges, aimed at providing students with early and sustained clinical exposure.

Ranjan emphasised that this transformation is supported by progressive policy frameworks such as the National Education Policy (NEP) 2019, which integrates digital learning, competency-based training, and multidisciplinary approaches into nursing curricula.

With 6,000 hours of structured training now embedded in the programme, India's nursing graduates are being prepared to meet global standards of care.

She also drew attention to the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission (NNMC) Act, 2023, which she described as a landmark reform modernising the regulatory framework for nursing education and practice.

The Act ensures standardised quality, transparent governance, and future-ready training systems to meet both national and international health demands. PTI PLB HIG HIG