VIRUDHUNAGAR: Friday (May 30) marked the culmination of the journey that K Alamelu Mangayarkarasi of Virudhunagar embarked 17 years ago as a nurse in a PHC in Arattavadi, a remote village in Tiruvannamalai that was infamous for high number of home deliveries.
Mangayarkarasi, who is now serving in the Government Hospital in Srivilliputhur, has been honoured with the prestigious Florence Nightingale Award by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in recognition of her exemplary contribution in several fields areas including obstetrics and family welfare.
Speaking to TNIE, Mangayarkarasi (40), reflected on how deeply nursing profession has shaped her life. “I wanted to become a teacher, but did not score enough marks to get a seat and therefore joined the Diploma in General Nursing and Midwifery. During my college days, my mother Philomina would often write to me letters encouraging me to embrace the value of this noble profession. Her words left a lasting impact and continue to motivate me to give my best till this day,” she said.
After taking charge in the Arattavadi PHC, Mangayarkarasi was determined to change the mindset of people, most of whom belonged to tribal communities and were reluctant to opt for institutional deliveries.
Although the PHC was initially functional only until the afternoon and rarely visited by locals, she ensured it operated round the clock. Gradually, she began promoting institutional deliveries, and over time, her efforts started to bear fruits as people began approaching the centre, which has since been actively conducting check-ups and deliveries.
One heartwarming chapter of her journey was her service at the Primary Health Centre in Kunnur near Krishnankovil between 2009 and 2012. Her dedication left such a lasting impression that even more than a decade later, locals still speak highly of her and share her inspiring legacy with nurses currently serving at the centre.
"With consistent effort, we were able to ensure that almost all cases were brought to the PHC, reducing dependence on private clinics. Through awareness campaigns, we put an end to home deliveries and encouraged institutional births. The PHC handled at least 40 deliveries a month, including C-sections. We also took the initiative to bring in surgeons for performing necessary procedures. Our collective hard work eventually earned the PHC an ISO certification, and it came to be recognised as a model centre," she said.
Since 2013, Mangayarkarasi has been serving at the Government Hospital in Srivilliputhur. She played a pivotal role in the hospital receiving the Lakshya certificate in 2013, making it the first sub-district hospital in the state to earn this recognition. She has also been instrumental in identifying early-stage uterine cancer cases in women and actively involved in numerous outreach programs.
Looking ahead, Mangayarkarasi said the Nightingale award will motivates her to strive for excellence.
