Lucknow: Stressing that the demand for Indian nursing professionals exists across the world, chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday urged aspiring nurses to not just pursue courses but also a diploma in language to further improve future prospects.CM Yogi, who recently visited Japan and Germany, claimed the Indian nursing professionals are held in high regard in the two countries.He was speaking at a function to distribute appointment letters to 1,228 nursing officers selected through what he called a “fair and transparent process.”“Receiving appointment letters in large numbers during the auspicious festival of Navratri, especially on Chaturthi, is a positive sign of women empowerment and increasing participation of daughters in society,” the CM said.He advised nursing students to learn additional languages such as Marathi, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, and Bengali along with their courses, as this will open up better opportunities in India and abroad. “Eastern Uttar Pradesh was once known for its poor healthcare system. Conditions were so bad that thousands of people lost their lives, with little attention was given to their plight. Diseases like encephalitis and dengue claimed many lives every year. Alongside other infectious diseases, the region had became a hub of health crises,” Yogi said.“To address these challenges, major reforms were undertaken to strengthen healthcare infrastructure. ANM and GNM training institutes that had been closed for years were reopened. About 35 such ANM centres have been revived, and construction of 31 new nursing colleges is underway,” the CM said.He emphasized that not only medical colleges but also nursing and paramedical institutions play an equally important role. “If doctors lead the healthcare system, nursing staff serve as its backbone. With this vision, equal priority is being given to nursing and paramedical education,” he said.“As a result, maternal and infant mortality rates have significantly declined. Uttar Pradesh, which once lagged behind the national average, is now approaching it,” the CM said.The CM also claimed that the state has made notable progress in digitising healthcare services.“Around 9.25 crore people have been covered under Universal Health Coverage. Additionally, more than 14.28 crore digital health IDs (ABHA IDs) have been issued, enabling integrated healthcare services. To improve access in rural and remote areas, telemedicine and tele-consultation services have been introduced at 976 Community Health Centers (CHCs),” said the CM.Through Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical University, efforts have been made to bring all medical colleges onto a common academic platform, he said.King George’s Medical University secured the 8th position nationwide in the medical university category in the 2025 NIRF rankings.
