The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has directed its 2.5 lakh members to observe 'IMA Kayakalp' as a part of the 'Kayakalp-Fortnight' launched by Health Minister J P Nadda to ensure high level cleanliness, sanitation and hygiene in government health facilities.
"IMA Kayakalp aims at educating the management of hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres about the importance of maintaining necessary hygiene and sanitation in and around their centres to reduce the high rate of hospital led infections in our country," Secretary General IMA KK Aggarwal said.
"Research indicates almost 40 per cent of patients admitted in public hospitals and 20 per cent in private hospitals are vulnerable to life-threatening infections. Just by keeping one's environment clean, over 50 per cent of the disease complications can be prevented," Aggarwal said.
The guidelines include making the premises free of mosquito breeding, strictly following the guidelines for biomedical waste management, promotion of hand hygiene practices and formulating infection prevention and control policy for clinics.
It also involves promoting cough etiquette and cough hygiene in clinics, usage of masks in areas such as reception and labs, installing properly designed and functioning airborne infection isolation rooms in clinics and promoting rational use of antibiotics to prevent antibiotic resistance.
The guidelines also call for making clinics a 'silent zone' and 'no smoking zone'.
