SEPA mulls installing medical waste incinerators

The Sindh Environmental Protection Agency reviewed a proposal on Tuesday for the installation and operation of four incinerators for medical waste disposal for different health facilities in Larkana. The meeting decided that environmental approval would be given in due course and in light of public opinion taken on the matter earlier.

According to a statement issued by SEPA, the provincial government is taking measures to prevent further spread of AIDS in Larkana after an epidemic was reported there last year. The safe disposal of hospital waste eliminates the risk of spread of infectious diseases such as AIDS, hence the plan to install and operate the incinerators for health facilities in Larkana was quickly being assessed for environmental implications, claimed SEPA.

The incinerators at Sheikh Zayed Women's Hospital, Taluka Hospital Rato Dero and Rural Hospital Nodero and at another health facility yet to be decided are financed by the World Health Organisation and supervised by the provincial health department. WHO is also financing the medical waste disposal machines in this regard and an agreement has been signed with Madeline Technologies for the installation of the machines in the three hospitals.

SEPA Director-General Naeem Ahmad Mughal, WHO Sindh head Dr Sara Salman and others attended the meeting.

Widespread cases of HIV/AIDS were reported in Larkana and other areas of Sindh last year with a majority of patients being children. There were allegations of attempts made to suppress the information of the outbreak initially, delayed action and negligence with regards to the prevalence of quack doctors and unlicenced medical practitioners. Meanwhile, the issue of irresponsible medical waste disposal was also highlighted - an issue that has since been reported in urban centres as well.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 18^th, 2020.