LWMC uses IT system to dispose of hospital waste

LAHORE: Contagious and dangerous waste generated by four big public hospitals is being lifted and disposed of through a recently introduced and properly monitored hospital waste lifting and disposal mechanism in the provincial capital by Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC).

This was revealed by Managing Director, LWMC, Nusrat Gill while talking to The News at his office here on Wednesday. He said the new system was introduced to save the citizens from the hazardous effects of unchecked movement and unchecked recycling of highly risky and contagious hospital waste.

Hospital waste includes waste from surgery and autopsies on patients with infectious diseases. Other wastes include disposable needles, syringes, saws, blades, broken glasses, nails or any other item that could cause a cut, tissues, organs, body parts, human flesh, foetuses, blood, body fluids, drugs, chemicals, solids, liquids and gaseous waste contaminated with radioactive substances used in diagnosis and treatment of different diseases. It is pertinent to mention here that following loopholes in the present system, dangerous hospital waste is being leaked out and sold in open market, which is recycled and used for manufacturing of different plastic items, especially daily use kitchen items including plates, straws, dishes, glasses, spoons and. etc. This is posing a very serious health threat to the citizens. Nusrat Gill said the new system is IT-based storage, collection, transportation, treatment and disposal system of the infectious waste from healthcare units of primary, secondary & tertiary healthcare units and private healthcare units. He said repair, operation and maintenance of the incinerator installed at Children’s Hospital, Lahore has been completed while installation of three autoclaves having treatment capacity of five tons/day each will be constructed soon. He said construction of central storage facilities named as Yellow Rooms for infectious waste storage in four hospitals such as Services, General, Children and Lady Willingdon have been completed and waste of these hospitals is being incinerated on daily basis.

Talking about LWMC’s other ongoing projects, he said the company is vigorously working on Waste to Energy project under which 40 MW electricity will be produced. He said a comprehensive financial reliability plan is also under consideration, which will be presented to the next government and if implemented, LWMC will be able to collect Rs 5 billion per annum. “This will overall improve the company’s performance and the citizens will witness better cleanliness conditions across the city,” Nusrat Gill concluded.