Chandigarh
The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, concluded its fortnight-long SwachhataPakhwada 2026 (1st to 15th April 2026) with a vibrant Awards Ceremony held at the Institute. The valedictory function celebrated the collective contribution of the PGIMER fraternity towards the nationwide mission of cleanliness, hygiene and infection-free healthcare environments.
Prof. R.K. Ratho, Dean (Academics), PGIMER Chandigarh, was the Chief Guest on the occasion, while Prof. Vipin Koushal, Medical Superintendent, PGIMER Chandigarh, graced the event as the Guest of Honour. The ceremony was attended in large numbers by Faculty Members, Resident Doctors, Nursing Officers, Sanitation and Housekeeping Staff, Security Personnel and other Healthcare Workers of the Institute.
Address by the Chief Guest
In his address, Prof. R.K. Ratho, Dean (Academics), emphasised the pivotal role of Swachhata in preventing the spread of infection. Drawing from his rich experience in the field of Virology, he highlighted how simple practices such as hand hygiene, appropriate segregation of biomedical waste, surface disinfection and environmental cleanliness form the cornerstone of infection prevention and control within any healthcare facility. He remarked that hospital-acquired infections continue to be a significant public health challenge, and a clean environment is not a luxury but a fundamental prerequisite for patient safety and staff well-being. He congratulated the Nodal Team and every category of worker for making Swachhata a shared institutional value at PGIMER.
Address by the Guest of Honour
Prof. Vipin Koushal, Medical Superintendent, addressed the gathering on the broader role of Swachhata in everyday life. He stressed that cleanliness is not a one-time activity but a continuous way of life — at home, in the workplace, and in the community. He urged every member of the PGIMER family to carry the spirit of SwachhataPakhwada beyond the fortnight and to become ambassadors of cleanliness in their neighbourhoods. He specifically acknowledged the contribution of the sanitation and housekeeping staff, calling them the “foundation on which a clean hospital stands”.
Overview of Pakhwada Activities by the Nodal Officer
Dr. Vijay Tadia, Nodal Officer, SwachhataPakhwada 2026, presented a comprehensive overview of the fortnight-long activities organised across the Institute. He informed the gathering that the Pakhwada was structured as a series of thematic days, each designed to engage a different section of the hospital community and to translate the theme of “Swachh Aspataal, Surakshit Rogi” (Clean Hospital, Safe Patient) into visible action on the ground. Key activities during the Pakhwada included:
• Swachhata Shapath (Cleanliness Pledge): The Pakhwada was inaugurated on 1st April 2026 with a formal pledge administered to faculty, residents, nursing officers, sanitation staff and administrative personnel, reaffirming their commitment to a clean and hygienic workplace.
• Awareness Rally and Human Chain: A Walkathon and Ploggingevent were organised across the hospital campus with banners and placards on hand hygiene, waste segregation and “Do Gaz Safai, SabkiBhalai”.
• Deep Cleaning of OPDs, Wards and Hostels: Special deep-cleaning drives were carried out in Out-Patient Departments, in-patient wards, operation theatres, laboratories, hostels and common areas, with a focus on high-touch surfaces.
• Biomedical Waste Management Training: Sensitisation sessions and hands-on demonstrations were conducted for resident doctors, nursing officers, Sanitation and housekeeping staff on correct colour-coded segregation of biomedical waste.
• Hand Hygiene Campaign: Interactive hand hygiene demonstrations were held in different areas, to reinforce the WHO “My 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene”.
• Poster, Slogan and Essay Competitions: Competitions on the themes of cleanliness, infection prevention and environmental sustainability were organised for students, residents, nursing officers, Sanitary attendants, Housekeeping attendants and the children of the Welfare Colony.
• Nukkad Natak (Street Play) and Awareness Skits:Sanitary attendants and Housekeeping attendants presented street plays, spreading messages of personal hygiene, clean surroundings and safe sanitation practices.
• Plantation Drive and Green Campus Initiative: Saplings were planted across identified green zones of the campus, reinforcing the link between a clean environment and a healthy ecosystem.
• Single-Use Plastic Elimination Drive: A focused drive was conducted to identify and phase out single-use plastics in canteens, cafeterias and office areas of the Institute.
• Cleanliness Drive in the Welfare Colony: Staff quarters and residential areas of the Welfare Colony were covered under special cleanliness, vector-control and awareness activities, with active participation from resident families.
• Health Talks and Awareness Sessions for Sanitation Staff: Dedicated sessions were held for sanitation and housekeeping workers on personal protective equipment (PPE), needle-stick injury prevention, vaccination and occupational health.
• Quiz on Infection Prevention and Control: An inter-departmental quiz was conducted for residents and nursing officers on topics ranging from hospital hygiene to antimicrobial stewardship.
• Best Worker Award: The awards were given to SwachhataKarmaogis for their contribution in keeping the Swachhta across the Institute.
• Safai Mitra Suraksha Shivir: A preventive health camp was organised for Sanitary Attendants and Hospital Attendants. More than 500 Sanitary Attendants and Hospital Attendants attended the Shivir over a period of two days.
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Distribution of Swachhata Awards
Swachhata Awards were conferred upon the winners of the various competitions conducted during the Pakhwada, including the Poster, Slogan, Essay and Quiz competitions, and the “Swachhata Champion” recognitions. The winners came from across the institutional community — faculty members, resident doctors, nursing officers, paramedical staff and students — reflecting the truly collaborative spirit of the Pakhwada.
In a particularly heartening moment of the ceremony, awards were presented to Sanitation and Housekeeping Staff in recognition of their invisible yet indispensable daily contribution, and to the thosewho enthusiastically participated in the cleanliness drives and awareness activities in their residential areas. The Security Guards of the Institute were also specially felicitated for their role in maintaining order, discipline and hygienic conduct at entry points, OPDs and other critical zones during the Pakhwada. This inclusive recognition underlined the message that cleanliness is a shared responsibility, and that every pair of hands — from the Dean’s office to the gate and from the wards to the colony lanes — matters equally in building a Swachh Aspataal.
Message from the Director
In his message on the occasion, Prof. Vivek Lal, Director, PGIMER Chandigarh, extended his heartfelt congratulations to the entire PGIMER fraternity for the successful conduct of SwachhataPakhwada 2026. He observed that in a healthcare institution of the scale of PGIMER, where thousands of patients are cared for each day, cleanliness is not merely an aesthetic concern but a direct determinant of patient safety, clinical outcomes and institutional credibility.
“A clean hospital is the first line of treatment. Every hand washed, every surface disinfected, every bin correctly segregated is, in effect, a silent act of healing. Swachhata at PGIMER is therefore not a fortnight-long campaign — it is a year-round discipline and a shared duty of every member of this Institute, from faculty and residents to nursing officers, sanitation staff, security personnel and the residents of our Welfare Colony.”
— Prof. Vivek Lal, Director, PGIMER Chandigarh
The Director specifically appreciated the sanitation and housekeeping staff, the security personnel and the Welfare Colony residents for their wholehearted participation, noting that the truest measure of the Pakhwada’s success lay in the inclusive spirit it had fostered across the Institute. He reiterated PGIMER’s commitment to institutionalising Swachhata as a continuous mission aligned with the national vision of a Swachh and Swasth Bharat, and urged every member of the PGIMER family to carry forward the learnings and habits of the Pakhwada into their everyday working lives.
Vote of Thanks
The ceremony concluded with a formal vote of thanks, acknowledging the guidance of the Director, PGIMER, the leadership of the Dean (Academics) and the Medical Superintendent, and the tireless efforts of theKarmayogis. Special thanks were extended to every faculty members, resident doctors, nursing officers, paramedical staff, sanitation workers, housekeeping staff, security guards and Welfare Colony resident who contributed to making SwachhataPakhwada 2026 a resounding success.
PGIMER reaffirmed its pledge to carry forward the values of Swachhata beyond the Pakhwada — as a year-round discipline woven into the daily functioning of the Institute, in line with the vision of a Swachh and Swasth Bharat.
