Kasturba Health Society’s Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Kasturba Hospital, Kasturba Nursing College, Kasturba Nursing school and Kasturba Vidya Mandir are actively carrying out a month-and-a-half-long ‘Swachhata Hi Seva 2019’ campaign in their premises from 11 September-27 October 2019. During the drive the society has designed massive campaign advocating the ban of ‘Single Use Plastic (SUP) products’.
Swachhta Hi Seva 2019 campaign was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 11, 2019. The theme of the campaign is ‘plastic waste awareness and management’. Taking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ambitious Clean India Mission a step forward, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has instructed the healthcare facilities to undertake the Swachhata drive and to conduct Swachhata Hi Seva massive campaign for awareness creation on single use plastic.
During the first phase (from September 11 to October 1) of the three-phased massive Swachhata Hi Seva campaign, the institute created the mass awareness to stop the single use plastic. Hospital staff took a pledge against the plastic use. Health education talks, posters, flash cards and mass communication were the modes used to convey the ill effects of plastic on health and environment. Slogans like ‘Cleanliness is service’, ‘Say no to plastic’ were delivered. The hospital hosted open interactive sessions for patients and relatives across the OPDs and wards. Patients took oath to stop the single use plastic and to promote the ban of single use plastic in all possible ways. Replacement of plastic bags by cloth bags was advocated during the drive. Cleanliness drive was carried out in the hospital. 300 people participated in the first phase of the drive.
On 2nd October 2019 - the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi – the institute participated in the second phase of the campaign with massive Shramdan of plastic waste in the premises. Nursing staff, students and attendants collected the plastic waste from departments, hospital, canteen and patients for segregation. More than a hundred people participated in the second phase of the drive
During the third and the final phase of the campaign, the waste collected during the massive shramdan was transported for further segregation into recyclable and non-recyclable wastes. A skit was performed on ‘plastic free environment’ by nursing staff and students. Ill-effects of single use plastic on human, animals and environment was highlighted to convince the audience about the need to ban the single use plastic products. Staff along with the patients and relatives again took a pledge to stop the use of single-use plastic products. 400 persons took pledge and extended their support during the third phase of the drive.
“At the behest of the Government of India, our institute is participating in Clean India Mission with commitment and devotion. The departments, offices, staff, students and service contractors have been instructed to completely cut down the use of single use plastic in the campus. The patients and their relatives are also being regularly informed about the ban”, says Dr S Chhabra, Officiating Secretary, Kasturba Health Society.
“Kasturba Hospital shall always contribute its part in creating a cleaner, greener and plastic-free India. Close to a thousand people – staff and patients combined – have been a part of this massive campaign. We thank everyone involved for making this campaign a grand success”, said Dr AK Shukla, Officiating Medical Superintendent, Kasturba Hospital.
“We are happy to take the first step towards the larger goal of plastic free world”, says Mrs Neeta Shetya, Matron, Kasturba Hospital.