Maharashtra Health Minister Prakash Abitkar Orders Strict Food Quality, Hygiene Checks In All Government Hospitals

Mumbai: Public Health and Family Welfare Minister Prakash Abitkar has directed all government hospitals in Maharashtra to ensure that patients receive nutritious and good-quality food, along with strict standards of cleanliness. He warned that any negligence in patient care, food supply, or hygiene will not be tolerated.

Hospital Services Under Minister’s Review

The minister was reviewing services under the Public Health Department at the Directorate of Health Services, Mumbai. The review included cleanliness, laundry services, diet supply, medicine stock, and manpower management across government health institutions.

Minister Abitkar stressed that patients must be provided with a clean and satisfactory hospital environment, adequate medicine stock, and hygienic surroundings. Senior officials, including directors and deputy directors, have been instructed to conduct surprise visits to hospitals and submit factual reports. He added that immediate action would be taken against officers if unhygienic conditions are found. Contractors providing cleaning services must also ensure timely payment to workers as per contract norms.

Welcoming the Chief Minister’s decision to extend the Mahatma Phule Jan Arogya Yojana to primary health centers, Abitkar said citizens should prefer treatment at government hospitals instead of private ones. For this, public hospitals must provide better facilities and quality healthcare. This step, he added, will help government hospitals gain financial strength and increase their revenue.

New Mechanism to Check Drug Quality in Govt Hospitals

The minister also announced that a dedicated mechanism will soon be set up to check the quality of medicines supplied to government hospitals. Any irregularities in the drug procurement process will be dealt with strictly.

The meeting was attended by Health Services Commissioner Dr. Kadambari Balkawade, Health Services Director Dr. Nitin Ambadekar, and other senior officials. District health officers, surgeons, and deputy directors from across the state joined through video conferencing.

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