At an event organised to mark International Nurses Day, which was observed yesterday, SS Agarwal, National President IMA said the profession is faced with several challenges including lack of adequate training, low pay, as well as a lack of respect.
Secretary General IMA Dr KK Aggarwal termed nurses as the "backbone" of the Indian healthcare system.
"At present India faces an acute shortage of nurses given the existing job insecurity for contractual staff, low pay in both the government and private sectors, lack of conducive work environment, high rate of migration to western countries and lack of infrastructure," he said.
Surekha Sama, Vice President North Region, TNAI said, "Issues like child sexual abuse are often kept under wraps and the time has come to bring them out in the open.