A video circulating on social media has triggered fresh concern over hygiene standards at GB Pant Hospital, the primary government-run healthcare facility in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The clip, shared by a member of the public, appears to show multiple areas within the hospital premises stained with red tobacco spit, standing in stark contrast to a prominently displayed “Do Not Spit” signboard.
The visuals have unsettled many residents, with viewers pointing out what they describe as a disturbing contradiction between officially stated rules and the on-ground reality shown in the video. According to those reacting online, the clip does not capture a single isolated spot but several corners where spit stains are visible, accompanied by what the person filming claims is a foul odour. The imagery has raised uncomfortable questions about dignity, hygiene and basic civic responsibility inside a public healthcare institution that caters to thousands of patients and attendants every day.
Residents commenting on the video have questioned why patients, visitors and hospital staff should have to navigate such conditions in a medical setting, where cleanliness is directly linked to infection control and patient safety. For many, the footage has also reignited a broader debate on civic sense in public spaces. A region that often celebrates the natural beauty of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, they argue, appears to struggle with maintaining basic hygiene in shared institutions such as hospitals.
Several residents noted that the concerns highlighted by the video are not entirely new. The presence of tobacco spit stains and poorly maintained corners at the hospital has been a recurring complaint among visitors over the years. What appears to trouble citizens most, however, is the gradual normalisation of such conditions — a sense that repeated exposure has led to quiet acceptance of what should never be acceptable in a healthcare environment.
Alongside criticism of public behaviour, questions have also been raised about enforcement and oversight within the hospital premises. Observers have pointed to what they see as weak enforcement of anti-spitting norms, limited monitoring and a lack of effective deterrence. In a hospital setting, they argue, visible signboards alone are insufficient without consistent action to ensure compliance.
The video has prompted renewed calls for collective accountability, with residents urging both stricter action by hospital authorities and a conscious change in public attitude. Many have stressed that maintaining hygiene in shared spaces is not merely an administrative responsibility but a social obligation that requires cooperation from patients, attendants, visitors and officials alike.
The Wave Andaman has reached out to the hospital administration and the health department seeking their response on the issues raised by the video and the measures, if any, being taken to curb spitting and improve hygiene within the premises. Their response is awaited.
