Union Minister inaugurates 5th National Kayakalp Awards

News: Union Minister of Health and family Welfare has inaugurated the 5th National Kayakalp Awards.

Facts:

• National Kayakalp awards: It was launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 2015 as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to ensure hygiene, sanitation and cleanliness in Public Health Facilities in India.
• Aim: The award recognises and facilitates those District Hospitals, Sub-divisional hospitals, Community Health Centres, Primary Health Centres and Health & Wellness Centres in the public healthcare system who have achieved high levels of cleanliness, hygiene and infection control.
• Parameters: The parameters on which the performance of the facility would be judged are as follows: 1) Hospital/Facility Upkeep 2) Sanitation and hygiene 3) Waste Management 4) Infection control 5) Support Services and 6) Hygiene Promotion.
• Assessment: The assessment of these parameters are done sequentially through a three tier system – internal assessment followed by peer assessment and then external assessment.
• Significance: The success of Kayakalp has been internationally applauded during the 72nd World Health Assembly, held on 20-28th May 2019. The success of Kayakalp was also duly recognized in Global Baseline Report 2019 published by WHO, UNICEF and JMP.

Additional Facts:

• Swachh Swasth Sarvatra: It was instituted by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) & Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS) in 2016 under Swachh Bharat Mission.
• Aim: 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.
• Objectives: The Three broad objectives of this scheme are:-
  • Enabling Gram Panchayat where Kayakalp awarded PHCs are located to become ODF.
  • 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.
  • Build capacity through training in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Of nominees from covered PHC and CHC.

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