Joining hands to spruce up Coimbatore Medical College Hospital

Efforts are on to make Coimbatore Medical College Hospital clean and hygienic for patients to receive quality treatment. File Photo: S. Siva Saravanan

A charitable trust and State university are joining hands to spruce up the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) to enable the thousands of patients visiting it every day, to receive quality treatment in a clean and hygienic environment.

Shree Vijayalakshmi Charitable Trust, based on a memorandum of understanding it has signed with the hospital, is in the process of cleaning the premises and surrounding areas using dedicated labourers.

But since there is a need to sustain this activity, it has sought the support of Bharathiar University, which will depute NSS volunteers for the same.

Senthil Kumar A, Managing Trustee of the Trust, said that the cleaning activity had been taken up in earnest from May.

“Since the Trust plans to continue the work on a permanent basis and also maintain it, we needed people to monitor the patients and visitors to keep the premises clean. NSS volunteers of the university will be roped in for this duty from November or December. They will also be involved in the cleaning and hygienic upkeep of the premises,” he added. T. Radhakrishnan, NSS Programme Coordinator (in-charge), Bharathiar University, said that though the volunteers would be involved in the above task a little later, they would be taking up other activities soon.

“A slogan competition will be held for students of affiliated colleges of Bharathiar University. The best ones will be painted on the outside walls of the hospital and also on the walls of the wards. Students will also be involved in coming up with text for posters to be distributed among students, public and visitors coming to the hospital. The hospital will provide the topics that students will focus on,” he said.

R. Vimala, Dean of CMCH, said the topics suggested for students would focus on promoting nutrition, eye donation, anti-smoking, use of helmet, and avoiding alcohol consumption, drug use and plastic usage.

“These initiatives will benefit students as they can use this opportunity to find more information about these social evils and become aware of the dangers themselves first before creating awareness among the public,” she added.

Mr. Radhakrishnan said that the volunteers would be also be involved in interacting with patients and visitors about the advantages of maintaining a clean premises, not spitting in public and not spilling food.

They would also guide patients to wards, laboratories, and be of help in every possible way.

The hospital’s Department of Social and Preventive Medicine was coordinating the initiative with the NSS.