Hygiene, sanitation central to quality patient care, public trust: Sakeena

Jammu, Jan 1: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare and Education, Sakeena Itoo Thursday emphasized on the urgent need for a complete revamp of sanitation and cleanliness measures in all Government Medical Colleges (GMCs), District Hospitals, Sub-District Hospitals (SDHs) and other healthcare facilities across the J&K, underscoring that hygiene and sanitation is central to quality patient care and public trust.
Chairing a high-level review meeting on cleanliness and sanitation measures in health facilities of Jammu division, in line with the yesterday’s meeting of Kashmir division, the Minister called for zero tolerance policy towards unhygienic hospitals, directing the Principals and Medical Superintendents to ensure strict adherence to cleanliness protocols, regular monitoring of sanitation standards and accountability at every level. She stressed that hospitals and other facilities must reflect an environment of safety, dignity and compassion for patients and their attendants.
“Clean and well-maintained health institutions are not optional but they are fundamental to effective healthcare delivery. We must ensure that every facility, from major GMCs to peripheral health centres, highest standards of sanitation and cleanliness is maintained,” Minister Sakeena said.
The Minister issued strong and emotionally charged directions for absolute cleanliness, discipline, and accountability in all hospitals across Jammu & Kashmir, declaring that unclean hospitals are not merely an administrative failure but a moral, cultural and ethical betrayal.
Quoting the Islamic teaching “At-Tahooru Shatrul Imaan” (cleanliness is half of faith), she emphasized that if cleanliness is essential in homes and places of worship, it becomes sacred in hospitals, where pain, prayer, and hope converge.
The Minister directed the department to frame Audit Committee at Central level and conduct routine inspection on fortnightly basis of health facilities across Jammu and Kashmir, with particular focus on sanitation and cleanliness measures.
The Minister expressed deep concern over ground observations during hospital visits, stating that the most disturbing issue was not lack of doctors or effort, but lack of ownership. She categorically stated that cleanliness is everyone’s responsibility, from the Director and Principals to the last sanitation worker.
“Everyone has role in management and cleanliness of hospitals, not just medical superintendents or Principals”, Minister Sakeena said. “Hospitals need to be as clean as our homes and there should be no compromise on that”.
She also asked the Medical Superintendents to award cash rewards, certifications for sanitation workers, doctors or other staff involved in maintaining the cleanliness and sanitation of the hospitals.
The Minister further directed the Medical Superintendents not to allow any kind of food or eatables inside the hospitals from outside. She also called for complete ban on polythene bags inside the hospital premises.
The Minister directed the Principals and Medical Superintendents to form Committees at their levels who would carry inspection regarding cleanliness in their respective hospitals on daily basis. She further directed them to carry out awareness among the attendants regarding Dos and Don’ts in the hospital premises. She also asked them to take firm action against visitors violating cleanliness norms.
The Minister called for periodic audits, improved waste management systems, strengthening of housekeeping services, and enhanced coordination with concerned agencies to address gaps in cleanliness and infrastructure. She also instructed hospital administrations to sensitize staff and service providers on maintaining hygiene and patient-friendly surroundings.
Minister Sakeena also called for rationalisation of Sanitation workers in hospitals and framing of proper working roster for them. She also asked the hospital administrators to provide uniform to Safaikaramcharis after every six months or less and also take some initiatives for their overall well being.
Minister Sakeena emphasized that those who clean hospitals are performing an act of ibadat (worship) and deserve dignity, safety, timely wages, training and recognition.
“A hospital that disrespects its sanitation workers can never be truly clean,” she stated.
The Minister reiterated that improving sanitation standards will remain a top priority and warned that laxity in maintaining cleanliness in health institutions will not be tolerated. She urged officials to work with dedication to ensure that public health facilities meet the expectations of the people.
The Minister directed the hospital administrators to change defective wheel chairs and trolleys on continuous basis and replace them with new ones. She also stressed on them for change of unhygienic beds as well as bedding to maintain overall patient care in the hospitals.
Highlighting the issue of unhygienic wards, dirty washrooms and scattered waste, the Minister said that no amount of medical expertise can compensate for loss of patient dignity. “A clean hospital is sadqa-e-jariya (a continuous charity)”, she stated.
Highlighting the Omar Abdullah led Government’s sustained efforts to upgrade healthcare infrastructure across J&K, Sakeena Itoo said that advanced medical services like LINAC, PET scan, Brachytherapy, Renal transplant programme, molecular diagnosis of oncology patients and other advanced services at Super Speciality Hospital and GMC Jammu have significantly improved the health care services at the hospital. She highlighted that the advanced cancer treatment facilities at State Cancer Institute and the introduction of other state-of-the-art diagnostic and therapeutic services have reduced the need for patients to seek treatment outside the region.
The meeting, among others, was attended by MD JKMSCL, Tariq Hussain Ganai; Principal GMC Jammu, Dr. Ashotush Gupta; Director Health Services Jammu, Dr. Abdul Hamid Zargar; Director Family Welfare and Immunization, Dr. Poonam Sethi; Director Finance Health and Medical Education, Director Planning Health and Medical Education, Principal Government Dental College Jammu, Principals of GMCs of Kathua, Doda, Rajouri and Udhampur, Medical Superintendents of all district Hospitals of Jammu division, CMOs and other concerned officers either in person or through video conferencing.