SSWMB to work on 'safe' disposal of medical waste

Medical waste will be collected from all institutions across Sindh through geo-mapping

KARACHI: Geo-mapping of hospitals, clinics, laboratories, blood banks and other related institutions has been commenced in all districts across Sindh in order to gather data that will help the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) collect medical waste. This was informed in a meeting on Sunday presided by the SSWMB Managing Director Dr AD Sanjani, in which a delegation from the Sindh Health Care Commission (SHCC) gave a detailed report on the proper disposal of medical waste.

The SHCC representatives also informed that a strategy to adopt protective measures to prevent pollution and diseases resulting from medical waste from all hospitals, clinics and other institutions was being prepared, which would not only protect the staff and those associated with it from diseases but also prevent environmental pollution as the waste will be disposed of far away from the city.



In the first stage, they informed, work will be started from the larger hospitals of Sindh. The SSWMB staff will weigh the medical waste, assess its properties and then transport it to a facility located at the landfill site for destruction. They will be provided coloured bags so that the waste can be kept separate as per its nature and properties. Also, the staff will be provided gloves and other protective items.
The meeting was attended by SHCC representatives Dr Faiza Erum Bhutto and Dr Amir Hussain, SSWMB Secretary Nadir Khan, landfill site director Sohail Khan, Global Testing Service (GTS) Director Ali Raza and others.

Dr Sanjani, assuring his full cooperation, said that one part of the land fill site will be assigned for destroying the medical waste. He directed the relevant officers to present a report in this regard and to provide technical guidance to the staff.