From medical waste scavenger to drug addict

In Bangladesh, street-based and homeless individuals often turn to waste scavenging. In some cases, this can be seen as a positive way of earning a living for those in difficult circumstances, but there can also be serious negative consequences for the individuals and for society, particularly in medical waste scavenging.
The waste items included plastic tubing, cotton, syringes and medicine. Items such as expired medicine and syringes are scavenged for sale directly to drug users or to unauthorised resale operations or to nearby pharmacies. There is a hierarchy within the group, with sub-groups dominated by gang leaders who controlled access to the best resources.
The money obtained by selling these items was immediately used to obtain drugs of abuse. This included the purchase of medicine directly from health care establishments (HCE) operatives. In addition, some members of the group are observed to keep some items for their personal drug use.
Most of the group gathered in a particular place to take drugs. This place is also used as a centre for drug dealing, probably chosen as it is not patrolled or supervised by the authorities.
It is from the very difficult position of being homeless and needing money to support their drug use. They found that medical waste scavenging as a specialism can capable of supplying their needs. Thus, medical waste scavenging as a way to earn money to support drug use is a common issue.
Although the specialism of medical waste scavenging does seem to be linked to increased availability of drugs and with drug dealing the stories presented here do not portray the group as having adopted drug use because of their career. Rather, it seems that the career has been adopted as the best available alternative to support their drug use.
A large number of scavengers are observed in Dhaka City and most of them are adolescent or younger. We should take immediate action to prevent them from being a drug addict and protect society from deadly its consequences.

The writer is Head, Dpt of Geography and Environmental Science, Begum Rokeya University Rangpur.
E-mail: m.patwary@tees.ac.uk