New Delhi | To strengthen hygiene and reduce hospital-acquired infections, Delhi government hospitals will now change bedsheets daily using a seven-colour rotation system, according to an official statement.
The colour-coded system — white on Monday, pink on Tuesday, green on Wednesday, purple on Thursday, blue on Friday, light grey on Saturday and peach on Sunday — is designed to streamline linen management and reinforce strict infection-control practices across all government hospitals, it said.
Each facility has been instructed to maintain an adequate stock of bedsheets to ensure uninterrupted daily replacement.
The initiative, implemented under the Centre’s Kayakalp programme, marks a significant shift in how public hospitals manage cleanliness and patient care.
The new linen sets, procured in bulk, will bring uniformity and improved quality, while hospitals have been directed to strengthen the collection, washing and handling processes in line with Kayakalp’s guidelines.
Further, the implementation guidebook mandates the segregation of soiled linen, separate transportation channels, and washing in hot water with detergent.
Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh said the change was aimed at improving both hygiene and patient experience.
"The seven-colour bedsheet system is a small but significant step toward building greater trust, transparency and hygiene in our hospitals," he said in the statement.
Singh added that the initiative is expected to contribute to lowering hospital-acquired infection (HAI) rates while also creating a more positive atmosphere inside wards.
"Cleanliness affects not just health outcomes but also patient psychology and the morale of our healthcare workers," he said.
Kayakalp, launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, evaluates and rewards public health facilities that maintain high standards of cleanliness, infection-control practices and waste management, according to the statement.
