The Philippine Online Chronicles

The Department of Health (DOH) has launched "Ospital ng PiNOY: Malinis at Mabango," a project aimed at cleaning up public hospitals, which have become notorious for low sanitation standards.

The government currently runs 711 hospitals nationwide. Few of these hospitals are on a par with private hospitals when it comes to hygiene and medical equipment, health officials noted.

“The poor status of cleanliness and orderliness of hospitals has always been a source of complaints among patients and caregivers,” said Health Secretary Dr. Enrique Ona.“Unclean, unkempt and smelly hospital premises pose a health risk to patients, their companions and health workers. Oftentimes, this also causes the negative perception of the people [about] public hospitals.”

"The face of the government health program is the face of our hospitals, especially government hospitals,” Ona added. “Hospitals should be centers of wellness and not of sickness, hence the need to maintain always a clean environment."

The new program instructs public hospital administrations to maintain cleanliness and orderliness in the rooms, wards, lobby, hallways and restrooms, including the outside perimeters of the hospital, parking areas and driveways.

Feedback mechanisms such as boxes, complaint desks and hotlines will also be available so that patients and visitors can bring the hospital administration’s attention to issues concerning cleanliness and orderliness.

Hospitals will be given three to four weeks to comply with the instructions before spot checks are performed by DOH personnel.

“We will find out their weaknesses [if they don’t pass standards], why they failed to [comply],” Ona said.

“This does not mean that our program is only about cleanliness,” Ona added. “It includes a comprehensive improvement of the whole hospital's programs and practices."

Ona said that ensuring the cleanliness of a hospital is the first step in “[improving] the culture of those working in hospitals.”

He also mentioned that cleanliness isn’t simply about making hospitals better to look at, but to aid in the recuperation of the patients.

“If we want to lessen the number of patients, we should focus on preventive measures like addressing the water and sewerage system and inspecting our food stores, especially popular sari-sari stores and street food,” he said.