Citizens urge proper disposal of hospitals’ waste

Islamabad: Citizens on Thursday urged the authorities concerned to make proper arrangements for disposal of waste of federal capital hospitals.

They claimed that incinerators at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) and Federal Government Polyclinic (FGPC) did not meet international standards. They said an incinerator of international standard had a capacity of burning 40kg to 50kg waste, but in capital’s hospitals the manual incinerators could dispose of 10kg waste in shifts. In the absence of proper arrangements for disposal of waste, PIMS dumps used articles which kept piling up.

There are reports about theft of used syringes, drips and blood bags which are then sold in the market, said Aslam Awan, a citizen. He said the waste containing iron and glass could not be burnt in the incinerator and was dumped in areas adjacent to the hospitals. Health experts said sanitary workers and scavengers, particularly children, collecting garbage and low-grade staff of hospitals were at high risk of contracting diseases.

It is pertinent to mention here that solid waste is collected and disposed through sanitation department of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) while hazardous waste was collected separately.