Sanitation Staff in AP Government Hospitals to Come Under FRS by August-End

The Andhra Pradesh Health Department has directed that face-based recognition attendance (FRS) be made mandatory for sanitation workers employed through agencies in government hospitals across the state by the end of this month.

Health Minister Satyakumar Yadav issued the directive during a nearly three-hour review meeting at the Health Department office in APIIC Towers, Mangalagiri, focusing on sanitation, patient satisfaction and service quality at government teaching hospitals, district, regional and community hospitals.

The minister said hospital superintendents and sanitation agencies must work in close coordination to improve cleanliness standards. He noted that the positive public response seen in areas such as doctors’ attendance, medical services and medicine availability should also extend to hospital sanitation.

Satyakumar sought details on the lack of expected improvement in public satisfaction with cleanliness in secondary hospitals between April and July. He asked officials and sanitation agencies to identify shortcomings and explain gaps in coordination that were affecting the quality of services.

The review also examined staffing requirements and actual attendance for sanitation, security and pest-control services across government medical and nursing colleges, teaching hospitals and secondary healthcare facilities. Officials were asked to explain discrepancies between the number of workers deployed and attendance recorded through the FRS system.

Sanitation agencies told the minister that although the required workforce had been deployed in several institutions, attendance was not being fully captured through FRS because of various operational issues. Satyakumar directed officials and agencies to resolve the gaps and ensure that all sanitation personnel are registered under FRS by the end of August.

The move also assumes importance from an infection-control perspective. Cleanliness, hygienic waste management and regular cleaning are essential components of safe hospital operations, while national infection-prevention guidelines require outsourced housekeeping agencies to follow institutional infection-control protocols. Sanitation workers also require appropriate training and protective equipment.

The meeting further highlighted inadequate coordination between medical institutions and outsourced service providers. Health Department Secretary Veerapandian directed officials to conduct weekly reviews of sanitation and security services and submit details of decisions and follow-up action.

Supervisory officers will also be appointed to monitor key areas across medical institution premises. The department plans another review after completion of FRS registration, with the secretary stressing that visible improvements in sanitation and security services should be achieved by then.

DSH Chakradhar Babu, DME Dr Vishnuvardhan, senior officials and representatives of sanitation and security agencies attended the meeting.