Notice to GMC over disposal of medical waste

NT NETWORK
Posted on 2009-06-24
PANAJI - The Goa State Pollution Control Board has issued show cause notices to Goa Medical College hospital and four other medical care institutions including public health centres and private hospitals for their failure to dispose the generated bio-medical waste in a proper scientific way.
The decision to issue notices to the medical care institutions was taken after a team of the Board visited various hospitals. It was found that some hospitals were not following guidelines under the Municipal Solid Waste Rules 2000. The GMC hospital, it was found, has an incinerator unit for burning the medical waste, but mostly it is in damaged condition, which prompts the hospital authorities to dispose the waste in an unhygienic and unscientific method.
It may be recalled that the Goa Bench of Mumbai High Court, in the past had directed the GSPCB to inspect the bio-medical waste disposal facilities available with all the hospitals, health centres as well as pathological laboratories around the state. The GSPCB, after carrying out the inspection had issued notices to 133 health care institutions, following which some of them improved such facilities available with them.
As per the Bio Medical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 1998, the bio-medical waste has been divided into 10 categories and guidelines formulated for its management. As per these guidelines, the body parts, after amputation need to be burnt in the incinerator while used syringes, blood-stained cotton, blades, bandages etc are not allowed to be disposed in open space, and need to be subjected to high pressure steam at 121° C in an autoclave before their disposal.
“Every occupier generating the bio-medical waste needs to install an appropriate facility in the premises or set up a common facility to ensure requisite treatment of waste,” say these rules.
It is also learnt that the GSPCB has issued show cause notice to the Corporation of the City of Panaji for the same reason. The CCP Commissioner, Mr Sanjeet Rodrigues, when contacted, however said that the Corporation has not received any such notice.