Odisha Chief Minister NaveenPatnaik and Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Pratap Sarangi on Monday expressed their gratitude to nurses around the world who had been risking their lives to lead the fight against COVID-19.Patnaik, on the occasion of International Nurses Day, took to Twitter and said their hard work and sacrifices have played a significant role in saving many lives."On #InternationalNursesDay, my gratitude and tribute to millions of nurses across the world playing the frontliners role in fighting #COVID19. Their determination & sacrifices have enabled us to save more lives & improve case recoveries," the chief minister tweeted.Describing nurses as the centre of the healthcare system, Union Petroleum and Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said they were safeguarding the nation's health by sacrificing their own well-being."Nurses are at the centre of our healthcare system. They provide compassionate and expert care to patients. On this #InternationalNursesDay, gratitude to all the nurses for the incredible work they are doing to safeguard our nation's health by sacrificing their own well-being," Pradhan posted on his Twitter handle.Union Minister of State for MSME, Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Pratap Sarangi also hailed the role of nurses in containing COVID-19."Nursing is not an easy job and those who dedicate their whole lives in this profession must be respected and celebrated! #COVID19 has made more evident that nurses are irreplaceable. Thanks to nurses for caring for us on #InternationalNursesDay & every day," Sarangi tweeted.Among others, BJP national vice-president and former MP Baijayant Panda thanked the nurses for their tireless efforts to save lives."My deep gratitude to our heroic nurses, who are tirelessly working during this #COVID19 pandemic to save lives. They are away from their families & are working at the frontlines, risking their own lives to protect the lives of others," Panda tweeted.International Nurses Day is observed around the globe on May 12 every year to recognise and honour the contributions made by nurses for the well-being of people. The day also marks the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale.
