The DO says that the lack of proper waste disposal at the hospitals was causing hepatitis, cancer, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis among the patients.
Incinerators will be installed at three public hospitals in the district in February, District Officer (environment) Waseem Ahsan Cheema said on Friday. These are divisional headquarters hospital in Gujranwala, tehsil headquarters hospital in Wazirabad and tehsil headquarters hospital in Kamoke.
Cheema said the incinerators will cost around Rs12 million. Talks in this regard were in process between Health Department officials and Ali Traders Waste Management Company Private Limited, he added. The DO said that lack of proper waste disposal at the hospitals was causing hepatitis, cancer, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis among the patients. He said the decision to install incinerators was taken after some hospital waste, including used injections, gloves, drips and bottles was reported to be sold as scrap. He said a crackdown on scrap sellers and buyers had also been initiated in collaboration with the district administration. Those found involved in the sale were arrested and their shops sealed. Cheema said that industrial units using the scrap were also sealed.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 19th, 2013.
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