Maharashtra government on Wednesday inaugurated a statewide mechanised laundry service for 593 government hospitals, officials said.
The new mechanised linen laundry service was launched by state Health and Family Welfare Minister Prakash Abitkar at Arogya Bhavan in Mumbai.
The service, aimed at improving cleanliness, safety, and sterilisation in public health facilities, will be rolled out across 593 health institutions in the state. These include 20 district hospitals, 8 general hospitals, 105 sub-district hospitals, 378 rural hospitals, 22 women’s hospitals, and 60 trauma care units, together accounting for 29,315 beds.
“This initiative will raise the standards of patient care by ensuring access to clean, infection-free linen across our hospitals,” said Minister Abitkar.
“Maharashtra’s public health services are already performing well, and with this service, we are taking another step forward in hospital discipline, hygiene, and quality of care.”
Abitkar expressed confidence that Maharashtra’s model would serve as a benchmark for other states.
“The rest of the country will now look to Maharashtra. Other states will soon ask, ‘When will our hospitals get mechanised linen laundry services like in Maharashtra?’” he added.
The service will utilise barrier washing technology, allowing for the completely mechanised and sterilised cleaning of hospital linens such as bed sheets, blankets, pillow covers, patient and staff uniforms, towels, and curtains. This high-tech process minimises human intervention, ensuring hygienic handling and reducing the chances of contamination.
To further improve infection control and maintain operational consistency, the government is introducing a colour-coded bed sheet system across all participating hospitals. Under this system, white bed sheets will be used on Mondays and Thursdays, green on Tuesdays and Fridays, and pink on Wednesdays and Saturdays. This approach is designed to enhance hygiene protocols and help staff easily manage laundry rotation.
The project is being carried out through outsourced private agencies, which will oversee the entire laundry process, from collection and sorting to washing, sterilisation, and distribution. All these steps will be executed through fully automated systems, eliminating manual handling and ensuring strict adherence to quality standards.
According to health officials, the service will ensure a consistent supply of clean, safe, and sterile linen to hospitals across the state, significantly reducing the risk of hospital-acquired infections and improving the overall quality of patient care.
The launch event was attended by Dr Kadambari Balkawade, Commissioner of Health Services, along with senior officials from the Health Department. Minister of State for Public Health Meghana Sakore-Bordikar, Health Secretary Virendra Singh, and medical officers from various government hospitals also participated in the event virtually.
Officials underscored that this initiative reflects the state’s strong focus on enhancing public health infrastructure and its ongoing commitment to providing high-quality, patient-centric care across Maharashtra.
