Cuttack: Handwashing norms have been pushed to backburner in various business and healthcare establishments in Silver City with the state government easing the curbs on lockdown, a report said Thursday.
This has happened due to lack of regular monitoring by the district administration and concerned authorities for which various government and private establishments are no more following the rules on handwashing. As a result, handwashing is no more a priority for these establishments as visitors easily enter their premises without cleaning their hands with liquid soap or sanitisers.
Sources said, handwashing was made compulsory in various establishments during the initial phase of lockdown in March. Then, every business and healthcare establishments were asked implement the handwashing norms strictly without any fail.
In that phase, even hospital or business establishments which were found to be violating the norms were penalized. Every business house and healthcare institutions were asked to keep water and liquid soap at the entry points. They were also mandated to ask the visitor to clean their hands before entering their premises. However, with passage of time, regular supervision has become a low priority for these establishments.
Handwashing has become a forgotten lore even for many of the hospitals in the city. However, it seems it was never a priority for them.
New water supply points were created and liquid soaps kept at SCB Medical College and Hospital premises to help patients and attendants wash their hands before entering various wards and outdoor units in the hospital premises.
However, a reality check by this correspondent found liquid soaps missing from the water supply points with patients and visitors no more following the rules. This is not a lone case but the situation is same in every government and private hospitals in Cuttack. Even many private hospitals do not have provisions for handwashing in their premises.
When contacted, Abinash Rout, enforcement officer Cuttack Municipal Corporation said raids will be conducted soon to make every establishment abide by the handwashing rules. Moreover, if needed, action will be taken against the establishments violating the norms, he added.
