Minister for Health and Medical Education, Bali Bhagat today said that carrying out Swachhata Abhiyan is a best tribute to the father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi and appealed the people to participate in this mission in a big way to help improving sanitation in their homes, surroundings and public places. The Minister said this while initiating special sanitation drive under the flagship programme of Central Government, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Swachhata He Seva) being organized by the Pradesh Bhartiya Janta Party Mandal Talab Tillo at Super Speciality Hospital(SSH), Jammu here today.Vice Chairman JAKFED Munish Sharma, Medical Superintendent Super Speciality Hospital, Dr. Arun Sharma, Deputy Medical Superintendent, Dr. Deepak Kumar, several faculty Members, para-medical staff of the hospital, besides senior leaders of the BJP, members of civil society participated in the drive.Speaking on the occasion, Bali Bhagat said that sanitation is as important as other basic needs of human being and called for a well-knit approach with the active involvement of all stakeholders in this sacred mission being launched by the Pradhan Mantri, Narendra Modi. He stressed the need for organizing mega sanitation campaign to commemorate the Gandhi Jayanti. He stressed on keeping all hospital buildings, wards, toilets and premises neat and clean and this should be made the regular feature.
Bali Bhagat, while educating the participants about the objectives of “Swachhata He Seva” programme, said that the campaign aims at to reduce or eliminate open defecation through the construction of individual, cluster and community toilets. He said the government is aiming to achieve an Open-Defecation Free (ODF) India and we all have to work collectively in this regard. He said we all should take a pledge to maintain proper cleanliness in and around our surroundings to achieve the objective of a healthy and clean India. He administered a pledge to the participants for closely associating with the Swachh Bharat Mission.Later, the Minister also visited Government Medical College Hospial (GMCH) to enquire about the health of those injured in cross-border shelling by Pakistan at Arnia sector in Jammu the other day. He interacted with the patients, attendants and the doctors and enquired about the treatment being provided to the injured. He directed the hospital administration to provide free and best possible treatment to the injured. He wished early recovery of the injured.