Karnataka Government hospitals to install barber shops within premises

Bengaluru: The National campaign “Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan” is not limited to boundaries of cleanliness of roads, footpaths and public areas, as shown by Karnataka government through its new endeavour. Aiming towards cleanliness, the government  has directed the state hospitals to effort towards maintaining the personal hygiene among patients admitted in the hospitals as well as their attendants. For the same, the state government has issued a directive making it mandatory for all government hospitals to have hair salons in their premises report TOI.

State Health Minister, K R Ramesh Kumar’s directive issued to all district health officers in this respect reads “Create space in the hospital premises for barbers to set up shops and submit a compliance report.”

The Taluk Hospitals will be first focused on for implementation of these directives.

The aim of the drive appears simple- to facilitate personal hygeine among the patients as well as attendants, which can be a major source/carrier of infection within the premises

Supporting the idea behind bringing such a directive, Kumar told TOI "These hospitals also get accident victims and hernia patients. Body hair has to be removed to conduct surgeries or to administer treatment, and we cannot go running in search of a barber in such circumstances. In Hence, the directive is to set up barber shops."

On the other side, the directives objectives also remain boosting squeaky clean look - shaved face and combed hair as opposed to the grunge look - to increase confidence levels among patients and also speed-up their rate of recovery adds the daily.

The Siddharam government has flooded hospitals with directives regarding the purpose.

The pursuit directive to boost personal hygiene among patients and attendants does not have any compulsions, as a senior official from the health department affirmed that although the instructions will be laid for all the hospital authorities to follow it strictly, while there will be due respect given to religious sentiments as well and nobody will be forced for anything on pretext of maintaining personal hygiene.

Kumar added, “This is not a hard-and-fast rule, it is only aimed at ensuring a better hospital environment. The sentiments of different religious communities will be respected and no one will be forced to change his or her looks against their will.”