In a significant achievement in the health sector, six District Hospitals of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have bagged Kayakalap award claiming notable positions in the best hospitals category 2019-20.Four of these District Hospitals are from Jammu division including DH Reasi which has clinched the top spot winning a cash award of Rs. 50 lakh while Government Hospital Gandhi Nagar, District Hospital Udhampur and District Hospital Poonch have got commendation awards with a cash prize of Rs. 3 lakh each.Pertinently, the Kayakalp Award was instituted as part of the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' on 15 May, 2015 as a national initiative to recognize and felicitate public health facilities that demonstrate high levels of cleanliness, hygiene and infection control measure on promoting cleanliness in public spaces.In Community Health Centres category, three CHCs of Jammu Division qualified including CHC Ramnagar was declared second while CHC Katra (Reasi) and CHC Bhaderwah (Doda) claimed the Commendation awards.In Primary Health Centers and Urban Primary Health Centres categories, 9 PHCs and 1 UPHC have won the award. UPHC Shashtri Nagar in Jammu district, PHC Budi (Katra), PHC Ransoo (Reasi), PHC Tikri (Udhampur) and PHC Rattanpur (Samba) have been declared winners while PHC Laiter (Reasi), PHC Sumb (Samba), PHC Barnara, PHC Majalta and PHC Hartaryan from district Udhampur got the commendation awards.Director Health Services, Jammu, Dr. Renu Sharma, complimented all the Chief Medical Officers, Medical Superintendents, District Nodal Officers (QAP), Block Medical Officers and Incharge of health institutions and their hospital teams for achieving this significant award. She asked the CMOs to disseminate the idea of Quality Process in all the Health Institutions of their respective districts so that more institutions can qualify from Jammu Division under this programme next year.Dr. Renu Sharma also conveyed gratitude to Financial Commissioner, Health and Medical Education Department, Atal Dulloo, for his keen interest in implementation of the programme in both the UTs. She also conveyed her greatfulness to Bhupinder Kumar, Mission Director, National Health Mission, for providing continuous motivation and timely guidance to the District Health Incharges for proper implementation of the Quality programme in their respective districts.She also appreciated the hard work of Dr Narinder Bhatial, State Programme Manager, NHM and Dr Vijay Raina, Divisional Nodal Officer “Quality Assurance Programmes” who has been instrumental in bringing quality standards in Health Institutions of Jammu Division.