New Delhi, July 27 (IANS): The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Wednesday launched three courses focusing on raising more educational avenues for medical, nursing and teaching personnel, an official said.

The two certificate courses and one diploma programme will be offered by the varsity through distance education mode, a varsity official said.

"The first certificate course is for Auxiliary Nurse Midwives which aims to provide quality care to patients undergoing treatment under ayurvedic system of medicine," he said.

The Adolescent Health and Counselling course will prepare teachers and parents to help adolescents to develop a healthy lifestyle and handle stress, he said.

"It will help teachers and parents to strengthen their knowledge in understanding needs and concerns of adolescents; build knowledge on physical, cognitive, emotional and psychological changes," the official said.

The diploma programme in Critical Care Nursing will ensure that critically ill patients are looked after by nurses who have advanced nursing care knowledge and skills, added the official.