At least 90 per cent of hospitals in major cities across Jharkhand are flouting rules of bio-medical waste management and contributing to a major public health concern, an independent survey by a New Delhi-based NGO Toxics Link revealed on Thursday.
A team of experts from the organization surveyed 31 hospitals in Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Dhanbad, Bokaro and Deoghar and found that medical wastes were dumped along with municipal solid wastes in different parts of the city. The survey was conducted over a period of six months in government as well as private hospitals.
The NGO released a report, titled ‘FAILED OR IGNORED’ on Thursday at a city-based hotel, inviting suggestions from experts to address the problem which apparently looms large over cities in Jharkhand.
“We found rag-pickers rummaging through yellow and red colour coded bags containing body parts, used syringes and gloves in Jamshedpur and Deoghar municipal waste dumping area,” said Shalini Samvedna, Founder Director, Lok Swar, a Jharkhand-based organization that worked along with Toxics Link in the survey.
According to Jharkhand Pollution Control Board, the state produces 12,000 Kilogram of bio-medical waste daily, totaling to 4,700 tonnes annually.
During the survey it was found that 42 per cent of wards, 13 per cent nursing stations, 39 per cent laboratories and six per cent OPDs did not have waste bins. Many health care facilities transported wastes without trolleys or used open trolleys, a practice considered unsafe. Around 55 per cent health care facilities did not maintain any record of bio-medical waste generation, the report highlighted.
Besides, a majority of hospital staff here have not undergone any training in bio-medical waste management, it added. Moreover, around 39 per cent of health workers were not immunized in Jharkhand, which increases the risk of infections contracted during occupational exposure. The surveyors found that none of the hospital staff used protective equipment like gloves and masks.
“The state of bio-medical waste management is worrisome and needs immediate attention. Regulatory bodies must strengthen the system and take actions against health care facilities that are not following proper norms,” said Satish Sinha, Associate Director, Toxics Link.
As per rules laid down for bio-medical waste management, hospitals must segregate their waste in four categories – yellow for infected body parts, blood-soaked cotton, gauges and bandages; red for intravenous tubing, saline bottles, catheter, syringes and gloves; puncture proof container for sharp wastes and a cardboard box for glass wastes.
The report pointed out at the importance of segregation, highlighting that only 15 to 20 per cent of hospital wastes are infectious but mixing them with other wastes makes 100 per cent bio-medical waste infectious.
