The 12th of May has been celebrated world wide by nurses as a means of recognizing the love, affection and care they portray towards humans & ‘animals’. This year’s celebration has as theme ‘Nurses, A Voice to Lead – Invest in Nursing and respect rights to secure global health.’ this tradition started in 1884 during the Crimean war with a nurse called Florence Nightingale. Florence was born on 12 May 1820.
This day was chosen to celebrate the anniversary of Florence Nightingale for her endless selfless work in nursing and social reforms. Florence volunteered to be a nurse during the Crimean war (1854-1856) in Turkey. According to the British national army museum she served wounded soldiers in the Eastern hospital serving as a superintendent of the female nurses.
During the war, soldiers were deeply wounded and sent off to camps. Florence catered for this soldiers like her children. Passing by even in the middle of the night with a lamp to check if they needed any assistance, maintaining strict sanitation measures and a safer environment to ensure fast recovery of the soldiers. Her actions got her the name “The Lady with the Lamp” as reported by the British Newspaper, The Times newspaper.
Before Florence passed away at age 90 in 1910, a delegation approved by the authorities had obtained her information and deemed her birthday a blessing to the country. As a result the day was accepted by the British government and late all other countries to serve as an internationally celebrated day.
Across Africa today and the world beyond, health institutions are celebrating years of relentless care and equally celebrating a legend.
Photo credit=Pinterest, London Times, Wikimedia, my Hero, Royal red cross.
Story= Bloomberg, Wikipedia, Times, British Army archives, BBC
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