The health department in Kerala will launch a statewide pre-monsoon cleanliness drive titled 'Thudakkam' across hospitals as part of measures to strengthen preparedness ahead of the rainy season. The state-level inauguration of the campaign will be held at Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, at 9 am on Saturday. Health Minister K Muraleedharan will inaugurate the drive.
Review Meeting and Instructions
The decision follows a review meeting convened by the minister with officials from the Directorate of Medical Education (DME), the Directorate of Health Services (DHS), and other departments. Strict instructions were issued for pre-monsoon sanitation measures. Local bodies and schools have also been asked to participate in the campaign. Hospital superintendents, principals, and district medical officers will coordinate and monitor implementation.
Measures at Medical College Hospital
At Medical College Hospital (MCH), laboratory staff will be assigned to collect blood samples for tests between 8 pm and 8 am to reduce inconvenience for patient attendants. The minister ordered immediate intervention to resolve complaints regarding delays in urology surgeries at Thiruvananthapuram MCH due to shortages of anaesthesiologists and equipment. The hospital superintendent has been tasked with ensuring timely availability of required resources.
Regional Cancer Centre
At the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), 13 vacancies will be filled urgently to reduce delays in doctor consultations and surgeries. The remaining vacancies will be addressed after amendments to special recruitment rules.
Surveillance and Grievance Systems
It has been decided to install surveillance cameras at all hospital counters within a week to monitor staff behaviour towards patients. Strict action will be taken against those causing inconvenience. Complaint registers and QR-code-based grievance systems enabling photo and video submissions will also be introduced at outpatient (OP) counters.
Patient-Friendly Initiatives
Priority queues and wheelchair assistance will be ensured for senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Hospitals have also been directed to complete scans and diagnostic tests for admitted patients within two days, with inpatients receiving priority. DMEs and hospital superintendents have been asked to prepare a patient-friendly action plan within a week and implement the measures within 30 days across all government healthcare institutions, from primary health centres to medical colleges and the RCC.
