Canteen hygiene impacts patients' health

Hospitals must keep their  canteens clean and hygienic as it plays a major role in people’s healthcare.

“Maintaining hygiene does not mean only cleanliness in the kitchen, hospital authorities need to follow the standard norms to run its kitchen by deputing qualified staff,” said health experts.

There are 35 major hospitals, which serve food to patients. Now, most of the hospitals have made it compulsory for patients to eat food from the hospital canteen.

According to the experts, all private hospitals are giving importance to canteens also. “Due to tough competition among private hospitals, grievances of patients and their relatives are addressed immediately. So, hospital authorities are trying to maintain high hygienic standards in their canteens. But kitchens and canteens in government hospitals need complete overhaul. The government and civic authorities should frame a special committee or squad who will pay surprise visit to hospital kitchens and canteens,” said an expert.

Dr HH Jadhav, superintendent of the JJ Hospital, said: “We do give importance to kitchen hygiene. Every day, we serve food to more than 800 patients. Dietician and resident medical officer test the food before being served to patients. They even visit the kitchen. Their duty is to check the kitchen hygiene and check the health of staffers. I check the storage room.”

“Hospitals must appoint qualified staff for kitchens. Managerial level staff should have a diploma or degree in catering. S/he must have the knowledge of standard norms. The treatment of food is very important. If the food is not hygienic, patients can not be cured on time. We have enough qualified staff to manage our hospital kitchen,” said Dr Gustad Daver, medical director of the Hinduja Hospital.

Dr Jagmeet Madan, president of the Mumbai chapter of the Indian Dietician Association, said: “In the hospital kitchen, hygiene is of prime importance. If hygiene is not maintained, it will affect patients’ health.”