A welcome law
Billion syringes used in country, if reuse of needles is factored in, large number of people face risk of infection.
The passing into law of a bill tabled to prohibit the manufacture, sale and use of disposable syringes, other than the auto-destruct ones, in the Sindh Assembly recently, must be lauded as a step in the right direction to control the spread of contagious diseases. Usage of old syringes is one of the major reasons behind the spread of blood-borne diseases such as hepatitis B and C, and HIV. And this is not always on purpose — if a used syringe is not disposed off, there is always the danger that someone may accidently become infected by coming into contact with a syringe used on a person with infected blood.
The needles of glass syringes can be reused several times and are not always sterilised properly when reused or repackaged. If not cautious, doctors may use such syringes for immunisation as well as curative purposes. Another factor behind the reuse of syringes is the lower cost associated with this practice. While educating the public, keeping track of syringes and reducing their price to do away with the incentive to reuse needles are all options, the most fool-proof one is, perhaps, to use auto-destruct syringes. These syringes block the plunger after the first use, making it impossible to draw fluid into them more than once.
Around a billion syringes are being used in the country, and if reuse of needles is factored in, a large number of people face the risk of infection. Tackling this issue will go a long way in controlling the spread of related diseases. A major step has been taken by the Sindh Assembly, but the job is only half done till implementation of this law is ensured. The federal ministry of health kept extending the registration date of disposable syringes for 16 years, till it was finally ordered by the courts, on a petition filed by the Pakistan Medical Association, not to do so under the Drug Act 1976. This law must not be treated in a similar manner and should be followed to the letter.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 21st, 2011.
The needles of glass syringes can be reused several times and are not always sterilised properly when reused or repackaged. If not cautious, doctors may use such syringes for immunisation as well as curative purposes. Another factor behind the reuse of syringes is the lower cost associated with this practice. While educating the public, keeping track of syringes and reducing their price to do away with the incentive to reuse needles are all options, the most fool-proof one is, perhaps, to use auto-destruct syringes. These syringes block the plunger after the first use, making it impossible to draw fluid into them more than once.
Around a billion syringes are being used in the country, and if reuse of needles is factored in, a large number of people face the risk of infection. Tackling this issue will go a long way in controlling the spread of related diseases. A major step has been taken by the Sindh Assembly, but the job is only half done till implementation of this law is ensured. The federal ministry of health kept extending the registration date of disposable syringes for 16 years, till it was finally ordered by the courts, on a petition filed by the Pakistan Medical Association, not to do so under the Drug Act 1976. This law must not be treated in a similar manner and should be followed to the letter.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 21st, 2011.