THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, Jan 13: The Medininagar Municipal Corporation appears poised to take over the cleanliness and maintenance of MMCH Daltonganj, as the outsourcing agency, Balaji Detective Force, faces imminent removal for its terrible performance.
Deputy Commissioner Shashi Ranjan confirmed the development, stating, “We have written to the government to immediately terminate this outsourcing agency.” The agency’s future now hangs in uncertainty.
Outsourcing agency faces allegations of malpractices and financial misconduct
The outsourcing agency has been deeply involved in malpractices, committing significant financial misconduct, as stated earlier by State Finance Minister Radha Krishan Kishore. He had previously directed action to be taken against the agency.
An inquiry team, led by DDC M Shabbir Ahmad, has also strongly indicted Balaji Detective Force for its deliberate and evil intentioned malpractices.
The crucial question now is whether the Medininagar Municipal Corporation, which handles cleanliness in roads, lanes, bus stands, markets, and other public spaces, is equipped to manage the same level of cleanliness at a high-traffic hospital like MMCH Daltonganj. The hospital sees over 700 patients daily in the OPD and approximately two patients on average in the IPD.
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Guidelines of Union Health Ministry
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, has set forth National Guidelines for Clean Hospitals, which establish stringent cleanliness standards. These guidelines aim to eliminate microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses, and prevent the growth of harmful pathogens.
The guidelines broadly divide hospital cleanliness into two categories: general areas and patient care areas.
The general area includes spaces like the registration counter, passages, corridors, and staircases, while the patient care area encompasses rooms, wards, examination rooms, operation theaters, and various labs. Cleanliness in these areas requires more than just sweeping—it demands skill and expertise.
Proper disinfection, adequate sterilization, hand hygiene, waste management, and the cleanliness of high-touch surfaces like door knobs, light switches, and bed rails all require specialized knowledge.
Moreover, there is a cleaning protocol that starts with less soiled areas and progresses to the most soiled areas, to prevent recontamination and minimize turbulence that could disperse dust and microorganisms.
Hospital cleanliness is a highly sophisticated process that involves the use of chemicals ranging from basic phenolics to more advanced solutions like chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, and peracetic acid.
City Commissioner confident in workforce’s ability
The question arises is whether the Medininagar Municipal Corporation’s safai mitras are capable of handling this task.
City Commissioner Md Jawed Hussain is confident that his workforce will manage the cleanliness at MMCH. He believes there will be no major issues with the surface cleanliness of the hospital, emphasizing that his team will handle it efficiently.
However, it’s the patient care areas that require expert attention, as these areas must be spotless and flawless. The City Commissioner acknowledges that hospital toilets often make headlines when cleanliness is questioned. He assured that the toilets (shouchalayas) at MMCH will be prioritized for cleaning to ensure the highest standards are met.
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“We have Satish Kumar our City Mission Manager and City Manager Samita Bhagat who will be leading the cleanliness brigade here once we are notified of doing this task here,” informed the City Commissioner.
Ad hoc measure until outsourcing agency is finalized
This will be an ad hoc, fire-fighting measure until MMCH issues the tender and finalizes an outsourcing agency for cleanliness at MMCH Daltonganj.
The stakes are high for the Medininagar Municipal Corporation, as it faces public scrutiny regarding its approach to drainage cleaning. While VIP areas receive regular attention, less prominent residential areas are cleaned only once a week, drawing criticism for the inconsistency in service.
