India and Australia on Tuesday concluded a joint initiative aimed at strengthening the nursing workforce, focusing on improvements in education, leadership and health-system preparedness. The event was convened by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, Jhpiego, and Edith Cowan University, Australia.
Akanksha Ranjan, a deputy secretary in the health ministry, said the government was committed to modernising nursing training and highlighted the recent approval of 157 new government nursing colleges attached to medical colleges to increase clinical exposure for students.
She said reforms under the National Education Policy 2019 had introduced digital tools, competency-based learning and multidisciplinary training into nursing curricula, adding that graduates now undergo 6,000 hours of structured training to meet global standards.
Ranjan also cited the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Act, 2023, calling it a key step towards standardising quality and improving governance in nursing education and practice.
In a vote of thanks, Deepika C. Khakha, Nursing Advisor at the Directorate General of Health Services, acknowledged the participation of senior ministry officials, Jhpiego, Australian delegates and Edith Cowan University. She said collaboration between India and Australia would help build a more skilled and globally aligned nursing workforce.
Khakha said today’s students would form the core of tomorrow’s health system and that platforms promoting joint learning were essential for preparing them for future challenges.
The roundtable brought together government officials, nursing leaders, academics and development partners to discuss strategies for faculty development, competency strengthening and governance reforms in India’s nursing sector.