Hygiene and cleanliness are vital for hospitals and this is what Lok Nayak Hospital in Delhi is embarking on by covering the beds for the patients with colour-coded bed sheets which will be changed daily.

To systemise the whole process, a manual has been prepared where seven colours have been fixed for seven days. The housekeeping staff has been instructed to follow the manual diligently.

The aim of the hospital authorities is to bring down the risk factor of acquiring infection and make the hospital stay experience of patients better, the doctors explained. This is the first time that a Delhi Government run hospital has taken this kind of initiative. At present, this initiative has been implemented for 500 beds while the capacity of the hospital is 2,000 beds.

Talking to the media, Dr. Suresh Kumar, Medical Director, LNH said that this system had already been introduced in paediatric surgery, ICU and CCU units and medicine ward and the total number of beds in these were 500. He added that soon other beds will also be covered.

Explaining the logic behind the colour code, he said that generally bed sheets are in white colour and many times it was found that these were not changed for days. This increased the risk of infection for patients who occupied these beds. To counter it, seven different colours were introduced for seven days which have to be followed uniformly for all the beds.

According to Kumar, this will ensure that bed sheets are changed regularly.

This will also provide the patients a sense of well-being and that the hospital cares for their hygiene.