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BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhuanet) -- Five Chinese nurses who made great
contributions to China's medical cause were awarded Florence Nightingale medals
here Tuesday by Chinese President Hu Jintao at a ceremony of the 40th Florence
Nightingale Medal.
The nurses included Liu Zhenhua
, a nurse of leprosy for 28 years at a
dermatosis hospital in east China's Shandong Province, Chen Zheng, who has been
fighting infectious diseases at Beijing'sDitan Hospital for 40 years, as well as
Feng Yujuan from Hong Kong Hospital Authority, Wan Qi from the General Hospital
of the Tibetan Military Area Command, and Wang Yali from underdeveloped Dingxi
City of northwest China's Gansu Province.
The Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) has done great humanitarian work,
especially in fighting SARS and rescuing tsunami-hit countries. It has been
praised by the society and gained a good international reputation, said Chinese
Vice Premier Wu Yi at the ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People.
She hoped the RCSC would play a bigger role as an assistant to the
government and make a greater contribution to the establishment of a harmonious
Socialist society and to the peace and progress of mankind.
Wu also noted that the committees of the Communist Party of China and
governments at all levels should continue caring for andsupporting the RCSC in a
bid to push forward the Red Cross cause in China.
RCSC President Peng Peiyun said she hoped that all Chinese nurses and Red
Cross workers would follow the examples of the fiveawardees, and further carry
forward the spirit of the Red Cross and improve their professional standard and
service.
Florence Nightingale, a nurse in the United Kingdom during the Crimean War
from 1854 to 1856, was regarded as the pioneer of the modern nursing. The
Nightingale Award,the top honor in international nursing, was established by the
International Committee of the Red Cross in 1912 and is presented every two
years. The Chinese Red Cross Society began to recommend candidates for the award
in 1983 and since that time 43 Chinese nurses have been recognized with it.
Chinese President Hu Jintao is the Honorary President of the RCSC. Enditem
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