Kayakalp

Clean environment improves healing and Fastens recovery, besides enhancing patients’ experience at health facility. The Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Shri J P Nadda has launched ‘Kayakalp Award Scheme’ on May 15, 2015 as an extension of 'Swachh Bharat Mission'. Aim of initiative which to improve and promote the cleanliness, hygiene, waste management and infection control practices in public health care facilities and incentivize the exemplary performing facilities. The scheme is intended to encourage and incentivize Public Health Facilities (PHFs) in the country to demonstrate their commitment for cleanliness, hygiene and infection control practices.
Initiated from District hospitals in 2015, the scheme expanded to PHC level (2016) and then covered all Urban Health Facilities by 2017.
The objectives of the award scheme are :

1. To inculcate a culture of ongoing assessment and peer review of performance related to hygiene, sanitation and infection control.
2. To incentivize and recognize public healthcare facilities that show exemplary performance in adhering to standard protocols of cleanliness, infection control and sanitation,
3. To create and share sustainable practices related to improving cleanliness in public health facilities which lead to positive health outcomes.

ECOFRIENDLY HOSPITALS: AN INITIATIVE UNDER KAYAKALP

It is evident fact that a stable and functional environmental ecosystem leads to the good health of its inhabitants, that is why it is often named a life support system. At the same time, we all are aware that many of the natural systems are constantly under pressure due to an increase in the number of humans & their economic activities.

According to the Centre for Disease Control & Prevention, climate change directly or indirectly affects all the organs of the human body. It has also projected that between 2030 and 2050, climate change will cause approximately 2,50,000 additional deaths per year, from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea, and heat stress. “Health Care without Harm- September 2019 report has reflected that the health sector alone contributes 4.4% to global Green House Gas (GHG) emissions. So, it is very much important that hospitals start working to reduce their climate footprints & move toward net-zero emissions.

A National Action Plan for Climate Change and Human Health (NAPCCHH) was prepared in 2018 to strengthen health care services against the adverse impact of climate change on health. In alignment, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has approved National Programme for Climate Change & Human Health (NPCCHH) in February 2019.

To support the NPCCHH’s objectives, a concept of green hospitals is introduced in public healthcare facilities. The concept would be an integral part of the existing Kayakalp scheme. Under Kayakalp, a new theme i.e., Eco-friendly Facilities ‘has been added. The theme not only helps to keep facilities clean, green, infection, and pollution-free, but also promotes speedy healing.

Summary of Additional theme

1. Energy efficiency in the hospital
2. Air and noise pollution
3. Reduce –reuse and recycle of waste.
4. Save earth and environment.
5. Health and wellbeing

Swachh Swasth Sarvatra

Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) & Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS) have started an integrated scheme under Swachh Bharat Mission named as "Swachh Swasth Sarvatra" on December 29, 2016. The aim of this scheme is to strengthen Community Health Centres in open defecation free (ODF) blocks across the country along with behavioural change to enable them achieve higher levels of cleanliness and hygiene with the goal of making India free of open defecation. Three broad objectives of this scheme are:-

1. Enabling Gram Panchayat where Kayakalp awarded PHCs are located to become ODF.
2. Strengthening Community Health Centre (CHC) in ODF blocks to achieve higher level of cleanliness to meet Kayakalp standards through a support of Rs 10 Lakh under NHM.
3. Build capacity through training in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Of nominees from covered PHC and CHC.