'Swachh Swasth Sarvatra' to be launched tomorrow

The Union Health Ministry in collaboration with Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation and Human Resource Development will launch 'Swachh Swasth Sarvatra', an initiative aimed at strengthening community health centres (CHCs) located in Open Defecation free blocks across the country, tomorrow.
"The objective of the 'Swachh Swasth Sarvatra' is to strengthen community health centres (CHCs) in 708 Open Defecation free (ODF) blocks across country to enable them achieve higher levels of cleanliness and hygiene to meet Kayakalp standards.
"Similarly, the aim is to enable the Gram panchayats where Kayakalp awarded Primary Health centres (PHCs) are located to become ODF," a senior official from the Health Ministry said.

"As a part of the initiative, Rs 10 lakh of financial assistance will be given to the CHCs located in 708 ODF blocks so that they can be strengthened to meet the standards of sanitation, hygiene and infection control," the official added.
According to the official, the financial assistance will act an added incentive for various blocks and health facilities to achieve ODF status and higher standards of hygiene and sanitation.
The initiative is a part of the Swachh Bharat Mission, under the National Health Mission, which is focused on the twin objectives of constructing toilets and enabling behavioural change with the goal of making India ODF by October 2, 2019.

The Health Ministry, in May last year, launched the Kayakalp Award Scheme under which public health facilities are awarded based on their performance on various parameters, including sanitation, cleanliness and infection control.