The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) will soon tranform into a gree hospital, according to the statement from Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan.
A report from PTI citing the Minister said AIIMS will adopt measures to move away from using conventional energy that is responsible for polluting environment and adding green house gases.
The Minister said he has “resolved to convert the hospital into a green hospital”.
Vardhan said that his plan for ‘Green AIIMS’ is based on the government’s determination to fight climate change.
“Healthcare institutions should strive to reduce their energy consumption and maximise use of solar energy and other similar natural resources,” he said, addressing a gathering on the occasion of World Environment Day.
Vardhan said that the new-look AIIMS will have water conservation and waste water recycling systems in place.
“There must be regular energy audits and a phased renewal plan must be developed with a view to making the buildings in the complex more energy efficient.
“Its entire waste generation, including medical waste generation must be brought down by an approach of reduce, reuse and recycling of waste. A scavenging system to deal with nitrous oxide and other waste anaesthetic gases is also the need of the hour,” he said.
The Minister said that plantation around the hospital should also be done with a view to capture particulate pollutants to prevent harm to hospitalised patients.
Stating that many buildings are being awarded for their efforts for energy conservation but hospitals are never seen in the list, Vardhan asked, “Why should not hospitals try to get such awards sending out positive signals and becoming the brand ambassadors for environmental protection and preservation adding to the improved health of community.”
“The unattractive facade of government hospitals should become a thing of past. We do not have to be ostentatious to do that. Beginning with AIIMS-New Delhi, I want all public hospitals to resonate with inclusivity and enlightenment,” Vardhan said.
“The United Nations, WHO and all international institutions have warned of the dangerous link between deteriorating environment and disease outcomes. We also need to undertake a massive capacity building exercise to create a pool of trained manpower to achieve this mission,” he said.
Vardhan further said that the country’s infrastructure is inadequate to fight the impact of environmental degradation and consequent adverse health outcomes and the government has therefore decided to focus on expanding the human resource base, PTI report said.
“The country’s present health infrastructure is unfortunately inadequate at present. We need to quickly develop more trained health workers for combating the effects of climate change on human health,” Vardhan said.
The participation and cooperation of the states would be crucial because there are numerous possibilities of synergy, he said.
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