Tamil Nadu is set to receive a boost in nursing education with the sanctioning of 11 new nursing colleges by the central government, according to State Health Minister Ma Subramanian.
Each of the new colleges will offer 100 undergraduate seats and will be established at an outlay of Rs 10 crore each, with construction to take place next to state-run medical colleges.
While Tamil Nadu already has six nursing colleges, there have been increasing demands for more due to the high demand for nursing education in the state.
Subramanian had requested the sanctioning of 30 new nursing colleges in the state during a meeting with Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya two months ago, and is pleased to receive 11 new nursing colleges from the Central government.
The state health minister also mentioned that several legislators had demanded the establishment of a nursing college in their respective Assembly constituencies or districts, and the sites for the new colleges will be decided in consultation with Chief Minister MK Stalin.
In addition to the announcement of the new nursing colleges, Subramanian also directed senior health officials to ensure sufficient stock of Anti-Snake Venom (ASV) injections, Anti-Rabies Vaccine (ARV) and "loading dose" first aid tablets at all Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Health Sub Centres (HSCs) spread across Tamil Nadu.
With the establishment of these new nursing colleges, students in Tamil Nadu will have increased access to nursing education and training, which will help to address the growing demand for qualified nurses in the state.
