JPMC incinerator shut despite repair funds

Disposal of used syringes, needles and other infectious medical waste is a big question

KARACHI:

The incinerator used to dispose of medical waste at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) has reportedly remained non-functional and fallen into disrepair despite the release of government funds for its maintenance and rehabilitation, raising concerns about the safe disposal of potentially infectious hospital waste.

The Sindh health department has ordered an inquiry into the utilisation of repair funds, payments made and the current condition of the incinerator.

A complaint sent to Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho alleged that the incinerator's building, machinery and internal combustion chamber were in a dilapidated condition. Exposed electrical wires and a faulty control panel could also make operating the machine hazardous, it said.

According to a notification issued by the health department, the inquiry committee will examine the utilisation of maintenance and rehabilitation funds during the financial year 2025-26 and determine whether the payments were justified under the rules. It will also investigate why the incinerator remains non-operational despite the expenditure of public funds. Additional Secretary General of the Sindh Health Department Zahid Junejo will head the committee, while Professor Dr Israr Ahmed Bhutto of Jinnah Sindh Medical University will serve as a member.

The committee has been directed to complete the inquiry and submit its report and recommendations within 15 days.

The complaint also levelled allegations of financial irregularities against Executive Engineer Ghulam Muhammad Wistaro and a divisional accounts officer named Munawar of the Karachi Central Electrical and Mechanical Division. The officials' responses were not available, and the allegations have yet to be independently verified.

The incinerator's continued closure has also raised questions about how used syringes, needles and other potentially infectious medical waste are being disposed of at the hospital, and whether alternative arrangements are in place. The inquiry committee's findings are expected to clarify how the public funds allocated for repairs were spent, why the incinerator could not be made operational and what arrangements have been made for the safe disposal of medical waste.