Chandigarh, April 1, 2026 — The Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, today inaugurated Swachhata Pakhwada 2026 with an enthusiastic celebration, reaffirming its commitment to cleanliness, hygiene, safe waste management, and community participation. The fortnight-long campaign, running from April 1st to April 15th, is being observed in line with the national Swachhata Pakhwada calendar shared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India.

“The achievements of our sanitation workforce reflect PGIMER’s unwavering commitment to a clean and patient-friendly environment. Swachhata is not an event — it is a way of life , and every member of this institution has a role to play in it. This Pakhwada, we celebrate their dedication and renew our collective commitment to making PGIMER the cleanest and safest tertiary care institution in the country.”

— Prof. Vivek Lal, Director, PGIMER, Chandigarh

Following his address, the Director administered the Swachhata Pledge to the assembled gathering. A group photograph was taken at the Swachh PGI Selfie Point, symbolising collective ownership of the Swachh Bharat mission. The Director then gave the green flag to the Swachhata Rath and formally launched the Swachhata Walkathon and Plogging event. More than 300 sanitation volunteers and staff members participated enthusiastically in the day’s activities.

• Swachhata Pledge administered by the Director, PGIMER.
• Swachhata Walkathon and Plogging event across the campus
• Flagging off of the Swachhata Rath for awareness drive
• Community engagement programme with Residents Welfare Association
• Distribution of two-bin waste segregation kits to residential colony households
• Group photograph at the Swachh PGI Selfie Point

In a special initiative, a dedicated Swachhata programme was organized by involving the PGIMER Residents Welfare Association. The Director addressed residents of the PGIMER Residential Area, commending their consistent cooperation in cleanliness-related activities throughout the year. As a concrete step toward household-level waste management, two-bin waste segregation kits were distributed to residents along with informational messages on proper segregation practices. Residents actively participated in Swachhata activities and joined the Swachhata Pledge during the campaign.

“Swachhata Pakhwada is a powerful reminder that a hospital’s healing mission begins with cleanliness. At PGIMER, our Swachhata Karamyogis work tirelessly every single day — often unseen — to ensure that every ward, corridor, and public space meets the highest standards of hygiene.”

— Prof. Vipin Koushal, Medical Superintendent, PGIMER, Chandigarh

Patient and Attendant Engagement

In keeping with PGIMER’s inclusive approach to the campaign, Swachhata Pledges were administered across the Institute by different departments. Even patients and their attendants were engaged in the pledge ceremony — reinforcing the message that cleanliness is a shared responsibility that extends beyond institutional staff to the entire hospital community. This broad-based participation is a hallmark of PGIMER’s Swachhata Pakhwada approach.

PGIMER has prepared a comprehensive, day-wise action plan in compliance with MoHFW’s consolidated guidelines. The schedule includes:

PGIMER’s Swachhata Pakhwada activities are designed not only to improve cleanliness standards within hospital premises — including wards, OTs, OPDs, ICUs, corridors, and administrative spaces — but also to build lasting awareness among staff, patients, attendants, and the broader community about sustainable sanitation and hygiene practices. Activities such as the Safai Mitra Suraksha Shivir, waste-to-wealth competitions, and Nukkad Nataks reflect the Institute’s commitment to the dignity of labour, community engagement, and behavioural change.

Swachhata Pakhwada is a nationwide initiative observed annually since 2016 by all Ministries, Departments, and their institutions to promote cleanliness, hygiene, and public participation under the Swachh Bharat Mission. For 2026, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has scheduled the campaign from 1st to 15th April across all Central Government Hospitals and Institutes under its aegis.