ISLAMABAD – In the absence of a proper procedure of hospital waste management across Pakistan, people are exposed to health risks from the infectious waste which can cause diseases like Hepatitis B and C and HIV AIDS.
This was stated by health experts on Monday at a training workshop on ‘safe management of biomedical waste to the health care’ workers which was attended by doctors, nurses, paramedics and sanitary workers. The workshop was organized by the National Institute of Health in collaboration with World Health Organization. Over 200 health care workers were given training on the safe disposal of hospital waste.
Speaking on the occasion the experts highlighted that the existing hospital waste management was deficient in many ways, while there were no records or people who could be held responsible for the prevailing mismanagement, adding that waste materials were collected by the sweepers, who are not given any equipments or training on handling it properly.
The participants were told that Hospital Waste Management Rules 2005 have been notified but need to be implemented in all the hospitals through the formation of Advisory Committees and the Hospital Waste Management Teams. The session was informed that a study conducted by a non-governmental organization reveals that 80,000 tonnes of solid waste is produced daily.
The hospital waste component is just 15 to 20 percent but it is mixed with solid waste and thus contaminates the entire lot. Studies show that around 2kg of waste/bed/day is produced out of which 0.1-0.5 percent can be categorized as a health risk. Incidence of hepatitis B and C have increased in the country, with the average prevalence of Hepatitis B ranging between 3-4 percent (6 million) and Hepatitis C, 5 percent (7.5million) and this called for stringent safety measures, the study said.
Dr Jamal Nasir, focal person for Environmental Health at the National Institute of Health, highlighted the importance of the management of health care waste. He said the NIH has an established environmental health protection unit. He called upon the participants to ensure that the policy is implemented.
