Garhwal Post Bureau
Haridwar, 18 May: Health Minister Subodh Uniyal has been conducting surprise inspections at various government hospitals across the state, particularly in the hills, ever since he assumed additional charge as Health Minister in March this year. After carrying out a series of surprise inspections in hospitals across the hill districts of Uttarakhand over the past several months, he has now intensified his scrutiny of healthcare facilities in the plains as well.
During an unannounced inspection of the Chain Rai District Women Hospital in Haridwar, today, the minister expressed strong displeasure over the poor sanitation and deteriorating maintenance arrangements in the hospital premises and warned officials against negligence in providing healthcare services to the public.
According to the officials, the minister had reached Haridwar in connection with a private programme. However, while returning from the programme, he unexpectedly arrived at the district women hospital without any prior intimation and carried out a detailed inspection of various sections of the facility. During the inspection, several shortcomings related to cleanliness, upkeep, and patient facilities reportedly came to light, prompting the minister to sharply reprimand the officials concerned.
Eyewitnesses said the minister appeared visibly upset after noticing the unsatisfactory condition of sanitation arrangements in parts of the hospital premises. He instructed the officials to immediately rectify the deficiencies and ensure that patients and attendants do not face inconvenience because of administrative apathy or poor maintenance. He also emphasised that cleanliness in hospitals is directly linked to patient safety and public confidence in the healthcare system.
Uniyal stated in clear terms that cleanliness and patient welfare must remain the top priority in all government and private hospitals across the state. He warned that laxity in healthcare institutions would not be tolerated under any circumstances and said that regular monitoring of hospitals would continue in a strict manner. He further directed officials to ensure proper sanitation, better medical facilities and smooth arrangements for patients so that people visiting hospitals receive quality healthcare services in a dignified environment.
The Health Minister has in recent months adopted an aggressive approach towards improving healthcare infrastructure and accountability in the state, particularly in remote hill districts where residents often face difficulties in accessing quality medical facilities. Earlier, he had conducted surprise inspections at several hospitals in districts including Pauri, Rudraprayag, Tehri, Chamoli and Uttarkashi, where he reviewed the availability of doctors, medicines, diagnostic facilities and cleanliness arrangements. During those visits too, he had pulled up officials over absenteeism of medical staff, unhygienic conditions and delays in treatment facilities.
