*08.04.2026**Swachhata Pakhwada 2026*
BMW Workshop, World Health Day Celebrations, Celebrity Visit, Poster Making Competition and Comprehensive Deep-Cleaning Drives Across PGIMER Campus
*Chandigarh, April 8, 2026 — The sixth, seventh and eighth days of Swachhata Pakhwada 2026* (1–15 April) at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, brought together a rich array of capacity-building workshops, health promotion events, celebrity engagement, creative competitions, and intensive physical cleaning drives across the Institute. These three days collectively demonstrated PGIMER’s commitment to cleanliness as both a professional ethic and an institutional culture — addressing the environment, the knowledge infrastructure, and the spirit of its entire community.
Workshop on BMW Management and Infection Control
*The centrepiece was a structured Workshop on Biomedical Waste (BMW) Management and Infection Control Practices for Hospital Attendants (HA) and Sanitary Attendants (SA).* The workshop drew a large and diverse audience of HA and SA staff from across PGIMER’s wards, OTs, ICUs, OPDs, and support departments — filling the auditorium to capacity. Faculty, nursing staff, and administrative colleagues also attended, reflecting the broad institutional support for this initiative. The workshop featured six expert sessions covering the complete spectrum of infection prevention and waste management practices.
*The first session on Hand Hygiene walked participants through the WHO’s five moments of hand hygiene,* the correct steps in handwashing technique, and the appropriate use of alcohol-based hand rubs. A session on Surface Disinfection and Cleaning covering types of hospital surfaces, appropriate disinfectants, dilution standards and correct application methods, followed by a session on Disinfectant Preparation, Precautions and PPE, emphasising the correct donning and doffing of gloves, masks, and gowns.
*A comprehensive session on Biomedical and Solid Waste Management covered the Biomedical Waste Management Rules 2016,* the four-category colour-coded bin/container system, the chain of custody from point of generation to final disposal, and the specific responsibilities of HA and SA staff at each stage. The workshop concluded with a session on Plastic Waste Management and the campaign to eliminate single-use plastics from the hospital environment.
“A correctly worn glove, a properly diluted disinfectant, the right bag used for the right category of waste — these are not small things. They are the frontline of infection control. Today’s workshop is an investment in the safety of every patient who comes to PGIMER, and an investment in the dignity and safety of every worker who keeps this institution clean. I am proud that PGIMER is using Swachhata Pakhwada not just to clean spaces, but to build knowledge.”
— Prof. Vivek Lal, Director, PGIMER
*World Health Day 2026* : Yoga, Healthy Diet and Immunisation Sessions
World Health Day 2026 was marked with a vibrant, interactive programme under the Swachhata Pakhwada. The event drew a packed house of Hospital Attendants, Sanitary Attendants, nursing staff, faculty, and administrative personnel. The programme opened with a session on Infection Control, followed by dedicated sessions on Healthy Diet and the importance of immunisation and preventive health, before culminating in a memorable live Yoga exercise session in which the entire auditorium participated together.
The Yoga session — one of the most visually striking moments of the entire Pakhwada — saw hundreds of participants simultaneously performing seated stretches and exercises in unison, guided from the front of the hall. The session powerfully embodied the World Health Day message that good health is both an individual responsibility and a collective aspiration.
*The Great Khali at Nehru Hospital: Cleanliness Gets a Champion*
In a moment that galvanised the entire PGIMER campus, renowned wrestler and sports ambassador The Great Khali, accompanied by an International Volleyball player, visited Nehru Hospital as part of the ongoing Swachhata Pakhwada celebrations. The visit was organised to lend a powerful celebrity voice to the cleanliness campaign. The Great Khali participated enthusiastically in the campaign activities, including a demonstration of mechanised floor-scrubbing equipment, underscoring that cleanliness is every individual’s responsibility — regardless of stature or standing. He posed at the specially designed ‘Swachh PGI’ selfie photo frame, signed the Swachhata pledge banner, and interacted with hospital staff and patients, generating enormous enthusiasm across the institution.
*Poster Making Competition: Creativity in Service of Swachhata*
A vibrant Poster Making Competition was held simultaneously at multiple venues across PGIMER, with hospital staff creating hand-drawn posters on themes of biomedical waste segregation, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, clean city environments, and the colour-coded waste disposal system.
*In one of the most heartwarming segments of the day, young patients admitted in the Paediatric wards —* including the Haematology-Oncology ward — were invited to participate in a bedside Poster Making activity. Faculty members and nursing staff personally distributed art se materials and offered gentle encouragement. The sight of children creating colourful drawings from their hospital beds epitomised resilience, hope, and the universal human spirit that underpins the Swachhata mission.
Swachhata Pakhwada 2026 — Upcoming Activities
With Day 8 concluded, PGIMER’s Swachhata Pakhwada 2026 moves into the second half of its fortnight of dedicated action. *Upcoming activities include* Debate and Best-out-of-Waste Competitions (April 9), Nukkad Natak and poetry on Swachhata (April 10), IEC Placement Day (April 11), Safai Mitra Suraksha Shivir (April 13–14), Shramdaan activities (April 14), and a grand Felicitation and Refreshment Day on April 15.
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