Health Minister calls for improving sanitation conditions in govt hosps

Hyderabad: Health Minister C. Damodar Raja Narsimha has directed officials to revamp the sanitation, security, and patient care systems in government hospitals and make biometric attendance mandatory for the staff. Along with the sanitation, security, and patient care units, the minister asked the officials to ensure biometric attendance for superintendents of hospitals and those working in hospitals under the jurisdiction of DME, DH, and VVP commissioners should be monitored. The minister held a review meeting on Tuesday, directing the Health Secretary to study the policies adopted by All India Institutes and corporate hospitals regarding sanitation and security and to appoint an expert committee for this purpose. He requested the officials to submit the committee report within ten days after a thorough examination of hospital administration, performance of security departments, HR, and job charts.

The minister emphasized that staff should not speak harshly to patients who come to the hospital when they are sick and in pain. They should communicate politely and compassionately. From security personnel to doctors, all should treat patients with kindness and address their concerns. To facilitate this, the minister suggested that officials provide training to staff and sensitize them accordingly. Necessary arrangements should be made for this training. Raja Narasimha proposed that there should be toilets in the inpatient wards of the hospitals and outside the outpatient areas, catering to the needs of the patients. The minister directed officials to prepare a report detailing patient load, the number of toilets, and proposals to increase the number of toilets wherever necessary. He also wanted officials to prepare proposals for setting up security outposts in all teaching hospitals. Additionally, the minister directed measures to reduce the waiting time for outpatients.