Ensuring proper sanitation and providing adequate security in government hospitals continue to remain a major challenge for health authorities, even as efforts are on to implement a new sanitation policy in Telangana. With the TS government keen to open outpatient facilities for government employees in the State-run hospitals and increase its share in Arogyasri funds, stress is more on focusing and improving sanitation and security.
On paper, the government released a GO (Ms no- 37) this November integrating security and sanitation services in all the government hospitals. It also gave a green signal to Telangana Medical Services Infrastructure Development Corporation (TMSIDC) to call for tenders for security and sanitation.
The State government has also decided to not allow subletting of contracts, which is usually the case wherein the agency that has won the tender goes for sub-contracting hospital sanitation and security. The authorities have decided to impose stricter norms in allowing visitors to the hospitals by issuing passes to control crowds. This could potentially improve the security for healthcare workers in the hospital.
However, the challenges persist. “At OGH, there is hardly any procedure to regulate sanitation staff. Vital wings like operation theatres, ICU, recovery wards and high-end medical equipment need to be cleaned and maintained at least six times a day and there is no way to monitor this. We have reported these issues to Deputy Chief Minister T. Rajaiah, who has promised to take measures,” says president, Telangana Government Doctors’ Association, OGH, B. Nagender.
While the government has decided to call for fresh tenders for sanitation and security in all the government hospitals, it is also embroiled in court cases related to earlier tenders against private agencies. “Due to pending court cases, at this moment, the government can implement the new sanitation policy in not more than 20 hospitals. However, the existing system of sanitation could be improved,” officials said.
Integrating security and sanitation will make one agency responsible for the hospital’s upkeep. Moreover, officials point out that monitoring sanitation staff through bio-metric attendance systems and close circuit televisions within hospital could improve the scenario.
