Bhubaneswar, June 5: Number of nursing schools in the state has gone up from three government-run institutes in 2005 to as many as 20 nursing institutes in 2007.

These include eight private nursing colleges and 12 private general nursing schools.

“It was the sheer lack of respect given to the profession, which prevented students from Orissa from enjoying this profession. Nursing was considered a profession of ridicule till 2000,” said Premlata Dei, assistant director of nursing administration.

However, things have considerably changed with the growing health care business, which had to be complemented by the appropriate number of nursing schools.

With private players keen to invest into the health care business, Bhubaneswar alone, has witnessed as many as eight nursing schools mushrooming in the past two years.

Lord Jagannath Mission School of Nursing that started in 2005 was soon joined by the SUM Nursing School, Kalinga Nursing School, VISWASS School of Nursing, Neelachal School of Nursing, School of Nursing KIIT, Hi-tech School of Nursing and Manjari Devi School of Nursing.

“Recently, there has been a upsurge in the number of nursing colleges and schools. The government, too, is eager to meet the challenges in the face of an acute shortfall in the required number of nursing professionals,” explained Suresh Mohapatra, director of medical education and training.

Also, five more nursing schools have applied for no-objection certificate from the department, informed Dei.