EDITORIAL
The consequences of laxity will seriously affect public health
One needs hardly restate the importance of proper medical waste management (MWM). Yet apparently, this matter of public health has not gotten the attention it deserves from the related quarters. Improper handling or a complete lack of management of disposable medical equipment and toxic chemicals used in the treatment of patients, is a threat not only to the patients but also to the hospital staff and the public in general, not to speak of its serious impact on the environment. Studies have shown that outbreaks of infectious diseases are often facilitated by the disposable waste that helps transmit the diseases.
A picture carried in this paper on January 19 depicts a cleaner employed by a private hospital carrying empty plastic bottles used for holding toxic chemicals to be sold in the open. Had there been a proper management system including strict control on the use and carriage of these materials, such a situation could have been averted to a great extent.
The problem has been compounded further by the exponential growth of private healthcare service in the country, particularly in the capital city. And when profit becomes a predominant motive of any enterprise, cutting costs becomes a means of realising that. Thus, the propensity to reuse equipment and the unwillingness to invest in an efficient disposal system and oversight mechanism.
The situation demands immediate attention of the Ministry of Health and the Directorate General of Health Services. One of the DG Health's responsibilities is to exercise oversight on all hospitals and healthcare providers. It should make the provision of adequate MWM facilities mandatory for all hospitals and clinics. Punitive actions should be taken against those that fail to meet the requirement, including cancellation of licence.
- Courtesy: The Daily Star /Jan 20, 2019
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