Kathmandu, May 6

Minister of State for Health and Population Padma  Kumari Aryal today launched a month-long cleaning campaign at Bir Hospital.

The hospital with a history of more than a century is  plagued by poor sanitary conditions. Although the hospital has around  100 toilets, they are not usable. Filthy water flows out from toilets at night, spreading foul smell. The hospital produces more than a truckload of trash every day.

Speaking during the launch of the campaign, Minister Aryal said, “Let us become part of this campaign thinking that all government hospitals are public property. We should start change from ourselves,” she said.

Vice-chancellor of National Academy of Medical Sciences Prof Dr Ganesh Bahadur Gurung on the occasion vowed to fulfil the objective of the campaign, although cleaning the hospital was a challenge as hundreds of patients visited the hospital everyday.

Director at the hospital Prof Dr Bhupendra Basnet claimed services at the hospital had improved a lot lately with better infrastructure and improved sanitary conditions. He further noted that the hospital had also introduced new technology and equipment.

The hospital employs 150 cleaning staffers. Around 3,000 patients visit Bir Hospital everyday.

According to the WHO, 10 out of 100 percent succumb to infections in the developing countries.

Rajaram Acharya, a security guard working at the hospital for the last 24 years, said one could smell the foul stench of waste as soon as s/he entered the hospital, but this was no more so.

The ministry is coordinating with Khem’s Cleaning to improve sanitary conditions in the hospital within 15 days.