Hospital waste management
This is further to your very relevant article on Star City front page on February 20. The write-up is very important for protecting public health, and the officials concerned should be aware of the implications of ignoring it. If the government plans to have stringent laws on proper waste management in health care facilities, then the step is fairly simple. This is to make the installation and operation of approved incinerator compulsory for all hospitals and clinics; both public and private. This can be incorporated by an ordinance to be issued by the CTG. The step will be most welcome.
The incinerator must be of an approved design, and this item should be allowed to be imported by hospitals and clinics in line with the same duty structure as relevant for hospital equipment and accessories. If needed, necessary SRO may be issued to incorporate a preferential duty structure on the import of incinerators and accessories for it, in greater public health interest.
Once these two measures are in place, then a reasonable timeframe must be spelled out; say six months at most. If after this period on inspection by health authorities it is found that the hospital authorities have still not established LC for importing incinerators, then the licence of the hospital or clinic must be cancelled. This regular inspection by health authorities must start as soon as the assigned date for purchasing the incinerator expires. Such a logical step, if followed by the government, would ensure proper management of toxic and infected hospital wastes.
Nowadays incinerators with dual fuel facilities (hospital waste and liquid or gas fuelled) for hospital boilers are widely available, which can provide the steam or hot water for necessary sterilisation as required by the hospital or clinic; especially where surgical cases are handled.
To set an example, the government must ensure that all public and autonomous hospitals have incinerator facilities immediately for public safety. This deserves the immediate attention of the health officials and the CTG.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments