3,000 OPD patients per month
70 surgeries every month
35 housekeeping employees
A 168-bedded NABH-accredited multi-specialty institution in Nagpur, Midas Hospital, where infection prevention is treated as a core component of patient safety rather than merely a housekeeping responsibility. It starts with standardization, says Dr Saurabh Mukewar, Director, Midas Hospital in conversation with Special Correspondent Samaresh Acharya.
The Infection Prevention and Control Committee has mapped every area to a cleaning schedule — OPDs, wards, ICUs, OTs, dialysis units, washrooms, waiting areas and public spaces. Daily cleaning and terminal cleaning are done with hospital-grade disinfectants. High-touch surfaces are disinfected at defined intervals through the day. Hand hygiene is tracked against WHO’s “Five Moments of Hand Hygiene.”
Biomedical waste is segregated as per Biomedical Waste Management Rules. Environmental surveillance and infection control audits happen regularly. HAI indicators are reviewed monthly by the Infection Control Committee. Spill management and fire training are also on a monthly schedule. The goal is consistency. Whether it is an ICU bed or a reception chair, the protocol does not change.
Trained Workforce
A 35-member outsourced housekeeping team works under the supervision of the hospital’s Housekeeping Department and IPC Team 24×7. Manpower is planned by occupancy and risk. The ICUs, OTs and isolation areas get more coverage than lobbies. Before anyone steps on the floor, they undergo mandatory training on IPC practices, WHO Five Moments, biomedical waste management, cleaning and disinfection, color-coded cleaning system, PPE usage, spill management, safe chemical handling, fire safety, and patient communication.
Competency is tested. Staff go through induction, practical demonstrations, periodic assessments, direct observational audits by the infection control nurse, surprise inspections, and refresher training whenever guidelines update. The agency provides the people. Midas provides the standards. Performance is monitored through quality indicators, audit scores and patient feedback.
“Our commitment to NABH standards, sustainability, and continuous quality improvement reflects our vision of delivering healthcare that is not only clinically outstanding but also hygienic, responsible, and environmentally conscious” — Dr Saurabh Mukewar, Director, Midas Hospital
Hygienically Clean
Cleaning efficacy depends equally on chemical selection and staff execution. Midas uses hospital-grade disinfectants approved for healthcare: 1% Sodium Hypochlorite for blood and body fluid spills, 70% Isopropyl Alcohol for equipment and high-touch points, Hydrogen Peroxide-based surface disinfectants, QAC-based cleaners for routine areas, and neutral floor cleaners for non-clinical zones.
Mechanisation adds consistency. Auto scrubber dryers, wet and dry vacuum cleaners, single-disc polishing machines, and colour-coded microfiber mops and cloths prevent cross-contamination. Effectiveness is monitored through standardized dilution protocols, chemical concentration checks, preventive maintenance schedules, daily supervision, environmental audits, and ATP or microbiological surveillance where needed. All chemicals have safety data sheets and staff are trained in safe handling.
Terminal Cleaning
Every patient room undergoes terminal cleaning before reoccupation. The process: Remove biomedical waste and used linen, disinfect all patient-contact surfaces, clean bed, mattress, furniture, call bell, switches, door handles and equipment, scrub washrooms, mop floors with approved disinfectants, replace linen, and get a final inspection by the housekeeping supervisor.
Nursing staff give clearance before the room is opened. Midas follows validated manual terminal disinfection as per WHO and CDC guidelines. While robotic cleaning is not in use, automated machines support instrument cleaning and UV light installations are present in critical areas. The emphasis is on process discipline over gadgets.
High-Touch Focus
Floors, elevators and washrooms are audited the hardest because they are touched the most. Cleaning frequency is risk-based. Door handles, lift buttons, handrails, nurse stations, reception counters, chairs and patient beds are disinfected multiple times daily. Washrooms are cleaned several times a day with schedules displayed and signed by staff. Floors are done with area-specific disinfectants.
Monitoring includes daily supervisory rounds, infection control nurse inspections, housekeeping checklists, internal quality audits, and monthly environmental hygiene audits. Any deficiency triggers immediate corrective action. High-touch surfaces undergo systematic decontamination to mitigate cross-contamination risks.
Clean Air
Airborne infection control is built into the engineering. Midas maintains HVAC systems as per healthcare standards. Operation theatres have positive pressure ventilation. HEPA filtration is used where clinically indicated. HVAC preventive maintenance is scheduled. Air quality is monitored periodically.
Temperature and humidity in critical areas are tracked. Air ducts and filters are cleaned routinely. Fresh air exchange follows engineering recommendations. OTs are validated for air changes per hour, differential pressure, airborne particulate counts, and temperature-humidity compliance. Clean air is no longer a comfort. It is a barrier against infection.
Evidence First
For years, patients judged cleanliness by smell. That has changed. “Modern hospital cleanliness is no longer judged by fragrance but by measurable infection prevention outcomes,” the Midas team says. Today the focus is on scientific protocols, correct disinfectant contact time, accurate chemical concentration, hand hygiene compliance, environmental cleaning audits, infection surveillance data, staff competency and biomedical waste management. A pleasant smell may feel reassuring. But patient safety depends on killing microorganisms through validated practices. Perception has given way to evidence.
One Standard Midas runs two units in Tier-2 locations. Infection prevention standards are enforced uniformly across all branch locations without variation. Both units follow the same evidence-based IPC protocols. Same NABH standards. Same IPC manual. Same housekeeping and infection control training. Same internal audits and surveillance.
Same monitoring of quality indicators and hand hygiene. Same CAPA mechanisms and management reviews. Standardization means a patient in one unit gets the same safety as in the other. No dilution by geography.
Equal Safety
Premium rooms at Midas offer more comfort — better furniture, hospitality touches, faster service. But infection control does not change. Cleaning frequency, disinfection methods, linen management, biomedical waste handling, hand hygiene, environmental monitoring and terminal cleaning are identical across all room categories. Patient safety is not tiered. Comfort is. That distinction matters for trust.