In appreciation of the commendable efforts and service of Lini Puthussery, the Kerala nurse who died treating a Nipah patient, President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday conferred her with the National Florence Nightingale Award posthumously. The President handed over the award to Lini’s husband Sajeesh Puthur during the award ceremony held in Delhi.

Sister Lini was a nurse at EMS Memorial Cooperative hospital in Kozhikode’s Perambra, where she looked after Mohammed Sadik, the first person believed to have been affected with the deadly Nipah virus in 2018. Soon after he succumbed to the disease, Sister Lini who looked after him in the hospital, too fell ill and passed away.

The Florence Nightingale Award is presented as a mark of recognition for meritorious services by nurses in the country. The award was first instituted in 1973. The award was presented posthumously only to Sister Lini this year.

Speaking at the event, President Ram Nath Kovind stated that ‘nurses play a vital role in delivering quality and cost effective health care, addressing multiple health challenges and responding to health needs of individuals, families and communities’.

The award was also conferred to 35 nurses, including Auxiliary Nurse Midwives and Lady Health Visitors, hailing from various states and union territories.

He also stated that, “Our nurses serving in community health centres and hospitals, have played an important role in successful implementation of national health programmes like eradication of polio, malaria and HIV/AIDS.”

It was in 2018 that the Nipah virus was first reported in Kerala, and it claimed 17 lives including sister Lini’s.

The emotional letter which sister Lini wrote to her husband Sajeesh just moments before she passed away, is something that still touches the people of Kerala. Following her death, the Kerala government constituted an award named ‘Sister Lini Memorial Award’ to commemorate her sacrifice.