SANGLA HILL
The unsafe disposal of medical waste in Nankana Sahib hospitals and “reuse of syringes” are posing serious threat to the health of patients, attendants, medical fraternity and environment as well, it is learnt.
The big quantity of waste material like used syringes, drips, urine or blood bags, needles and fluids is carelessly dumped near the hospital premises, sources said. The sanitary workers sort out syringes, drips and urine or blood bags and then other material is thrown to garbage dumps as incinerators for the hospitals are not available, they noted.
The hospital administrations dump their waste at waste-yards rather than burning it safely in incinerators. Not only the government but also private hospitals and dispensaries also throw their waste in open places. The local health and environment protection departments have failed to check the dangerous trend of dumping the hospitals’ waste and reusing the syringes in hospitals and clinics.
This is a serious threat to the visiting patients, attendants, and doctors as they can catch diseases like hepatitis B and C as well as HIV if they come in contact with the dangerous waste.
Dr Ahmed Umair Virk said medical waste has also caused environmental pollution. He said that the reuse of syringes leads to spread of communicable diseases like hepatitis C. He said proper disposal of medical waste was part of medical norms. Surgeon Dr Naseer Ahmed Kahlon said the medical waste should be dumped scientifically at abandoned place otherwise risk of infectious disease might increase.
He said improperly dumped medical waste causes bacterial, fungal and viral infections. He added there are multiple chances of developing of hepatitis B & C and HIV in children who collect such wastes from waste-yards. He said medical waste should be burnt and dumped in abandoned places.