New Delhi: Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava on Monday called on government healthcare institutions to move beyond symbolic cleanliness drives and ensure visible, verifiable improvements in sanitation, hygiene and upkeep of their premises.
Chairing a virtual review meeting to assess the progress of Special Campaign 6 and preparedness for a dedicated sanitation and hygiene drive on October 27, Srivastava stressed that cleanliness at public healthcare facilities was essential to improving service delivery and the experience of patients and visitors.
Srivastava urged institutions to ensure that the Kayakalp activities scheduled for Tuesday bring about a perceptible change in the appearance of their premises, while emphasising the need to assess the campaign’s impact through direct feedback from visitors and beneficiaries.
The meeting, held at Kartavya Bhawan-1, reviewed the campaign’s progress in institutionalising cleanliness and reducing pendency in government offices, a health ministry statement said
Representatives of 336 central health institutions from across the country, including AIIMS Guwahati, AIIMS Rishikesh, NIMHANS Bengaluru, and Safdarjung Hospital, participated in the review, it said.
Srivastava highlighted that healthcare facilities witness a high footfall and require sustained attention to sanitation, hygiene and space management to ensure better services and a welcoming environment.
The meeting also reviewed the campaign’s achievements, including the cleaning of all identified cleanliness sites, resolution of nearly all public grievance appeals and generation of around Rs 50 lakh in revenue through auction and clearance drives, the statement said.
Institutions were encouraged to strengthen the implementation of the principles of reduce, reuse and recycle, alongside measures for pest control, biomedical waste management, e-waste disposal and improved maintenance of public spaces, it said.
The health secretary also called for the disposal of obsolete records, scrap and other unused materials, including through authorised e-auction platforms, to free up space and generate revenue wherever feasible.
During the meeting, institutions shared initiatives such as repurposing discarded materials into functional items, refurbishing condemned furniture, digitising medical records, developing green spaces through plantation drives and undertaking deep-cleaning and horticultural activities.
Some institutions also introduced digital grievance redressal platforms and QR code-enabled feedback mechanisms to expedite complaint resolution and reduce pendency.
Srivastava urged institutions to document their initiatives, share achievements through designated digital platforms and ensure that the campaign results in cleaner, more accessible and welcoming facilities for patients, pensioners, staff and visitors.
Special Campaign 6 is being conducted from October 2 to 31, with a focus on institutionalising cleanliness practices and reducing pendency in government offices. The Health Ministry will undertake a dedicated one-day Kayakalp drive on sanitation and hygiene on October 27 as part of the campaign.
