Lucknow: Lack of hygiene in the hospitals is a serious issue that needs to be dealt with utmost urgency. Gudiya Devi, a resident of Lucknow, faced difficulties as a pregnant woman as she could not defecate in clean toilets and could not change her clothes in private spaces during her hospitalization. She shares about her journey that led her to come up with an innovative idea to deal with the situation. 

Who is Gudiya Devi?

Gudiya Devi is a resident of Daliganj, Lucknow. Her husband holds a class IV position in the Railways, and they have two children. She has studied till class 10. Despite facing the financial challenges, she had a desire to make a positive impact on the society. She has innovated a solution for hospital patients, particularly those undergoing surgeries, drips, and other treatment. 

Designing the dress

During her hospitalization for her delivery, Gudiya Devi faced challenges with activities like defecating, urinating, changing clothes, etc. These problems prompted her to design a uniform that would alleviate such issues for the patients. In the year 2009, Gudiya Devi designed a dress, allowing patients to comfortably manage various activities during hospitalization.

A meeting with Maneka Gandhi

Gudiya Devi met Maneka Gandhi, a member of Lok Sabha, in the year 2017 during her visit to Delhi. She introduced her design of the dress and Maneka Gandhi suggested to consider patenting her creation to prevent unauthorized replication. Gudiya Devi was helped with the contact information for the Office of Intellectual Science and Property. 

Soon, she found out that she could also acquire a patent through Department of Science and Nature in Uttar Pradesh. There she received assistance from Shashi Rana, who helped her complete the process. 

Helping people

The Health Minister Brijesh Pathak and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh have acknowledged Gudiya Devi’s innovative designs. She aspires to extend her initiative across the state, providing these dresses to patients in all the hospitals. She remains optimistic that her designs will help patients not only in the state but also throughout the country.