Biomedical waste management goes for a toss in Khammam

Khammam: Here is a classic case of a lackadaisical approach on the part of the Pollution Control Board (PCB) and the Khammam Municipal Corporation towards the disposal of biomedical waste by hospitals in Khammam district. There are about 480 government and private hospitals in the district and about 100 small and medium clinics and laboratories attached to multi-speciality hospitals in Khammam town.

Patients from Bhadradri, Suryapet and Warangal districts come to Khammam for treatment. As per guidelines, hospitals should not mix medical and clinical waste. All disposable plastic should be subjected to shredding before disposal.

As per the guidelines, hospitals should go in for incineration, autoclave, hydro-clave or microwave as part of waste management. But, a majority of hospitals are not following even the minimum safe biomedical waste disposal mechanisms, sources said.

Currently, the total biomedical waste collection from hospitals is pegged at about 14.5 tons per month. It includes incineration waste of 6,380 kg, autoclave wastage of 2,935kg, waste containers of sharp instruments like knives and other instruments amounting to 1,980 kg and glass material wastage of about 1,900 kg. According to District Medical & Health Officer Dr Malathi, there is only one agency to collect biomedical wastage in the district.

Speaking to Hans India, one of the officials of a private agency said, "The bio-medical waste is being collected and safely processed at a plant located in the Tallada town, about 45 km from Khammam town. But even municipal officials admit that there were many violations more so by private hospitals which do not follow the safe disposal regulations and guidelines for biomedical wastage.

The municipal officials have been routinely issuing occupancy certificates to establish clinics in the buildings located in the residential and commercial areas. "The wastage from the hospitals is being released directly into drains," alleges K Laxmaiah, a retired employee of the Health department.

He said that there are about 400 private hospitals in Khammam and additionally 26 Primary Health Centres, 6 Area Hospitals and 4 Community Health Centres in the district. "How could one agency could handle the biomedical waste coming from the entire district," he asked.

While the PCB officials have adopted a casual approach, the KMC has no systems and is short staffed to handle the safe processing of the biomedical waste directly entering the drains. It is left with no other option but to wash away its hands slapping paltry fines against the violators.

Krishna Mohan, a resident of Khammam town, said there were many incidents where post-surgery biomedical waste like body parts, and blood-soaked cotton were found in the municipal dustbins. Municipal Environment Department Engineer Srinivas said they were imposing fine on the hospitals violating the guidelines. This year alone so far, they had imposed fines against 50 hospitals. The penalties for violation range from Rs 2000 to Rs 3000, he added.