Media Release
Mangaluru, Oct 15: Father Muller Medical College Hospital (FMMCH), Mangaluru, has brought its commitment to sustainable and resilient healthcare to the national stage, with its paper on environmental sustainability and crisis preparedness selected for presentation at the NABH National Patient Safety Conference held in New Delhi.
Under the guidance of administrator Fr George Jeevan Sequeira and assistant administrator Fr William D’Souza, the hospital was represented by chief quality manager Dr Helen Gnanakalanjiam, who presented the paper titled “Sustainability to Resilience – Innovative Environmental Practices & Crisis Preparedness.”
The paper was selected under the category of 'Climate-Resilient and Sustainable Healthcare', alongside two other papers in the same category. FMMCH was invited to present its initiatives at the conference with complimentary registration. The presentation highlighted the hospital’s integrated approach to environmental responsibility, demonstrating how sustainability can be incorporated into everyday hospital operations without compromising patient safety, service quality, or continuity of care.
Harnessing renewable energy for a greener hospital
Recognising the importance of reducing dependence on conventional energy sources, FMMCH has embraced renewable energy initiatives, including the use of solar and wind energy. These efforts reflect the institution’s commitment to exploring cleaner energy alternatives, promoting responsible energy consumption, and reducing the environmental impact of its operations.
Promoting green mobility and responsible resource use
FMMCH’s sustainability initiatives extend beyond energy conservation to encourage environmentally conscious practices across the institution. The promotion of green mobility forms part of its efforts to foster more sustainable transportation choices and reduce the environmental footprint associated with daily activities.
The hospital’s approach also emphasises the responsible use of resources, encouraging practices that reduce unnecessary consumption and support a more environmentally conscious institutional culture.
Water recycling and conservation
FMMCH has incorporated water recycling into its sustainability efforts, reflecting its commitment to conserving water and promoting its responsible use. Such measures are particularly significant for large healthcare institutions, where resource conservation must go hand in hand with stringent hygiene and infection-prevention standards.
Reducing plastic usage through sustainable alternatives
In its efforts to minimise plastic waste, FMMCH has introduced practical alternatives to conventional disposable materials. The use of reusable steel tiffin containers and biodegradable packaging represents an important step towards reducing dependence on single-use plastics in appropriate areas of hospital operations. These measures encourage reuse, reduce avoidable waste, and promote more responsible consumption practices.
Plastic-free campus initiative: Creating awareness and inspiring responsibility
A significant step in FMMCH’s journey towards environmental sustainability has been its Plastic-Free Campus Initiative – Phase One, which received an encouraging response from faculty members, staff, students, and patients. The initiative sought not only to reduce plastic usage within the campus but also to create greater awareness of the environmental consequences of improper waste disposal and the shared responsibility of maintaining a cleaner, more sustainable healthcare environment.
A key component of the initiative was the creation of awareness videos that brought attention to the often-overlooked challenges faced by the campus’s waste segregation workers. The videos highlighted the difficult conditions under which these workers operate, particularly the enormous volume of dry waste they are required to handle and segregate. By bringing their everyday struggles into focus, the initiative encouraged the institutional community to look beyond waste disposal as a routine activity and recognise the human effort involved in managing the waste generated on campus.
The awareness videos received an encouraging response and were appreciated by like-minded non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and plastic-free campaigners, who commended FMMCH’s efforts to address plastic pollution and bring the realities of waste management into public focus.
Converting kitchen waste into a valuable resource
One of the notable initiatives highlighted during the presentation was the composting of kitchen waste for use on the hospital’s farmland. Instead of treating biodegradable kitchen waste solely as refuse, the institution has adopted an approach that allows this organic material to be converted into compost and returned to the soil.
This practice supports the principles of a circular economy, in which waste from one activity becomes a useful resource for another. It also promotes responsible waste management while contributing to the maintenance of the hospital’s agricultural land.
Crisis preparedness: Ensuring no meal was missed
A significant highlight of the presentation was FMMCH’s response to the LPG supply disruption in March 2026. Despite the disruption, FMMCH successfully maintained continuity in meal services, ensuring that not a single meal was missed. The experience demonstrated the importance of preparedness, adaptability, coordination, and the ability to respond effectively when essential resources become temporarily unavailable.
Leadership vision: A continuing commitment to Laudato Si’
Speaking on the institution’s commitment to sustainability, Fr Faustine Lucas Lobo, director of Father Muller Charitable Institutions (FMCI), emphasised that environmental responsibility is a continuous process that calls for necessary changes, adaptability, and a willingness to evolve in response to the changing needs of the institution and the growing concerns for the environment.
He highlighted that sustainability is not a one-time initiative but a constant cycle of reviewing existing practices, embracing meaningful changes, and adapting institutional operations to ensure that the needs of healthcare delivery are met without losing sight of environmental stewardship.
As institutions functioning under the Diocese of Mangalore, Father Muller Medical College Hospital and its constituent colleges are also committed to championing the environmental vision of the Bishop of Mangalore through the Laudato Si’ campaign.
Under the leadership of Fr George Jeevan Sequeira and Fr William D’Souza, and through the quality and sustainability initiatives highlighted by Dr Helen Gnanakalanjiam, FMMCH continues to demonstrate the relevance of environmentally responsible practices in a complex healthcare environment.
By sharing these experiences at a national forum, Father Muller Medical College Hospital reaffirms its commitment to building a healthcare system that is environmentally conscious, operationally resilient, and firmly centred on patient welfare.