The Punjab government has decided to shift cleaning operations at government teaching hospitals from private contractors to solid waste management authorities, following persistent concerns over poor sanitation and the performance of the existing outsourced system.
Cleaning services at teaching hospitals have been outsourced for nearly three decades, with the system originally introduced during Shehbaz Sharif’s first tenure as Punjab chief minister.
Sanitation Concerns and Wage Complaints Prompt the Shift
Officials said sanitation conditions at several hospitals have remained unsatisfactory despite the long-running outsourcing arrangement.
The government has also received complaints that some contractors were not paying their cleaning staff full wages, adding to concerns about the system’s overall effectiveness.
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Solid Waste Management Authorities to Take Over
In response, the provincial government has decided to transfer responsibility for hospital cleaning to solid waste management authorities rather than continuing with private contractors.
New Sanitation Plan Underway Under Clean Punjab Initiative
Work has already begun on a comprehensive sanitation and waste management plan for teaching hospitals as part of the broader Clean Punjab initiative.
Once finalized, the new system is expected to replace the existing contractor-based cleaning arrangement across the province’s teaching hospitals.
