Patients raise a stink over city hospitals' dirty toilets

Even though the Health Department is creating a buzz about cleaning hospital campuses and picking up garbage from common areas, patients still have to worry about the condition of loos at state-run hospitals.

Patients and their attendants feel little focus is being given by hospital authorities on cleaning toilets. Dirty loos not only inconvenience patients in their recovery period but also their family members who have to stay back at the hospital to attend to the patients.

“I have not taken bath for three days now. I wash my face in the basin inside the ward itself to avoid going to the loo here,” said Pushpa. Her six-year-old son has been admitted in the eye ward of Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital for the last four days.

“I finally complained to the nurses today because I realised I will not be able to carry on like this till my son is discharged,” added Pushpa.

Santosh Kumar, another patient in the ward, is also weary of using the loos.
“But is it fair to blame the authorities? I see patients also dirtying the area outside the toilets even when there are other toilets vacant on the same floor.”

Some patients feel cleaning loos should be intensified. If “zero dirt” is to be achieved, the toilets should be cleaned at least thrice a day.

“If the corridors can be kept clean and you see staff roaming around with brooms to collect garbage, why can’t they also clean the toilets similarly? Is it because the toilets are not visible to the public or that only patients have to deal with dirty loos?” said a woman in her 50s whose daughter has given birth a day before.

Those frequenting the hospital said the condition has improved. But cleanliness in toilets and quality of food are the two areas where there should be more improvement.

“Cleaning is now round-the-clock. If there have been any discrepancies and patients have complained about the lack of cleanliness, it will be immediately be taken up,” said Dr S K Sharma, Medical Superintendent, Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital.