‘Clean Hospital’ campaign kicks off in MGMGH

Month-long drive to improve appearance and hygiene of govt. healthcare facilities

The Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital (MGMGH) in Tiruchi has begun sprucing up its campus as part of the month-long initiative launched by the State government to create a more hygienic ambience and patient-friendly experience.

“We have taken up the directives rolled out as part of the ‘Clean Hospital’ campaign inaugurated on April 1, and we have formed teams within our staff to oversee the planning and execution of ideas. Actually, this campaign has given a kickstart to what I hope will be a permanent feature of our hospital,” K. Vanitha, Dean, K..A.P. Viswanathan Government Medical College (KAPVGMC), told The Hindu.

On Wednesday, Dr. Vanitha initiated the planting of saplings on the 25-acre campus of MGMGH in Puthur. “Having more trees will create a more soothing atmosphere for visitors. It will also provide a more eco-friendly environment for those working here,” said Dr. Vanitha.

The campaign has specified three major areas of action: cleanliness and maintenance of washrooms and toilets, pest, rodent and termite control and prevention of mosquito and stray animal infestation.

The 165-year-old MGMGH is visited by at least 3,500 outpatients everyday and has at least 1,700 inpatients. It handles approximately 40-50 deliveries daily.

“We have 450 conservancy staff to clean the campus, which has 402 toilets. As part of the ‘Clean Hospital’ campaign, we will adjust the frequency of cleaning shifts according to the waste that collects in a particular area. A place that gets littered more often, will be cleaned once in two hours, while the others will be cleaned once every three hours,” said Dr. Vanitha.

The hospital generates approximately 150kg of biomedical waste and over 1,500 kg of non-medical waste per day. Garbage bins have been placed all over the campus to streamline waste collection.