Punjab to End Outsourced Cleaning at Govt Teaching Hospitals

The Punjab government has decided to shift cleaning operations at government teaching hospitals from private contractors to solid waste management authorities following concerns over poor sanitation and the performance of the existing outsourced system.

Cleaning services at teaching hospitals have been outsourced for nearly three decades. The system was introduced during Shehbaz Sharif’s first tenure as chief minister.

However, officials said sanitation conditions at several hospitals have remained unsatisfactory despite the outsourcing arrangement. Complaints have also been received that some contractors were not paying cleaning staff their full wages.

In response, the provincial government has decided to hand over responsibility for hospital cleaning to solid waste management authorities.

Work has already started on a comprehensive sanitation and waste management plan for teaching hospitals under the Clean Punjab initiative.

Once the plan is finalized, the new system is expected to replace the existing contractor-based cleaning arrangement.