Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has expressed his gratitude towards the country’s nursing staff for their enormous sacrifices during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Leader made the remarks in a live televised address on Sunday on the occasion of the National Nurses Day that falls on the birth anniversary of Zeynab (AS), granddaughter of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Ayatollah Khamenei felicitated nurses on the occasion, while also condoling with the nursing community, which has lost many of its frontline personnel in the fight against COVID-19.
“Today, nurses are dearer and more honorable in the eyes of the nation than ever before,” the Leader noted.
“Nurses are the angels of mercy for patients. This is a true definition, not an exaggeration by any means,” Ayatollah Khamenei said.
The Leader said that as part of their profession, nurses tend to both the patient’s body and soul, which is a remarkable role.
Ayatollah Khamenei considered such endeavor towards the alleviation of a human being’s pain as “one of the most beautiful spectacles in life.”
The nurses have been consistently present at hospitals and medical centers during the year-long outbreak, putting their own lives at risk, the Leader remarked. “To be fair, our nursing community performed an enormous task during this period.”
Ayatollah Khamenei said prior to the emergence of the COVID-19 outbreak, people would not attach as much importance to the nursing profession as they do now. “However, this is not enough,” the Leader said, advising the authorities to revisit the significance they ascribe to the venerable profession.
The virus that swept the country soon after its emergence in central China, has so far infected more than 1.1 million Iranians, including over 53,000 who have lost their lives.
The sheer extent of the outbreak has overstretched Iran’s medical staff.
The already uphill battle has been compounded by sweeping sanctions imposed by the United States, which prevent the entry of much-needed medicine and other medical supplies into the country, including the much-needed coronavirus vaccines.
However, Iran has successfully mobilized all of its resources — with assistance from the military sector – and has managed to reign in the viral outbreak to a reasonable extent.
The national anti-virus drive has seen the enforcement of large-scale health protocols and restrictions throughout the country.
