Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, located in Andheri West, has become the first hospital in India and southern Asia—and only the fifth worldwide—to receive the Joint Commission International’s (JCI) Certificate of Distinction in Healthcare Sustainability. This honour places the hospital among an elite group of global institutions committed to reducing environmental impact while maintaining high-quality clinical care.
A New Global Benchmark for Green Healthcare
Launched in January 2025, the JCI Certificate of Distinction serves as a global benchmarking system created in partnership with the International Hospital Federation’s Geneva Sustainability Centre. It recognises hospitals that demonstrate measurable, verifiable reductions in environmental footprint across energy consumption, emissions, materials management, and sustainable clinical practices.
Cutting Emissions Through Greener Clinical Choices
At Kokilaben Hospital, one of the most significant transformations took place in the operating theatres. The hospital phased out high-emission anaesthetic gases and replaced them with low-emission alternatives, drastically reducing clinical carbon output.
Another major initiative involved transitioning from traditional metered-dose inhalers—known for their high-global-warming propellants—to low-carbon inhalers. “This has been introduced for two to three years,” said Dr. Santosh Shetty, the hospital’s CEO, highlighting the steady shift toward more sustainable respiratory care.
Reducing Waste and Resource Use in Laboratories
In its laboratories, the hospital implemented serum tube consolidation, a process that reduces the number of tubes required for each patient sample. This effort cut down on plastic consumption, chemical waste, and the overall environmental footprint of lab operations, Dr. Shetty noted.
Upgrading Equipment for Energy Efficiency
As reported by Hindustan Times, the hospital also adopted turbine-based ventilators, eliminating the need for energy-intensive air compressors. Additionally, it installed LED surgical lights and switched to diagnostic systems designed to use fewer materials per test. These changes contributed to sustainable energy use across clinical departments.
Meeting Global Standards Through Measurable Impact
JCI auditors evaluated Kokilaben Hospital for certification. They assessed whether the hospital’s initiatives led to clear, measurable reductions in emissions and resource use during routine clinical operations. The hospital successfully met these stringent benchmarks, becoming one of the first in the world to do so.