PESHAWAR, Jan 4: The provincial government has not yet put in place a system wherein hospital waste could be disposed of as per the Environmental Protection Act of 1997, disclosed some doctors.

The ‘Rules of Hospital Waste Management 2000’ require proper disposal of waste within 24 hours, said a doctor, adding that there were 1,572 private health facilities in Peshawar, including 52 hospitals, generating infectious, bio, pharmaceutical, chemical and radio active waste which needed proper and timely disposal.

Some years ago a Swedish firm had initiated a mechanism for safe disposal of hospital waste in Peshawar. After assessing the work in collaboration with the officials of the Environmental Protection Agency, the firm disappeared from the scene soon after the government led by Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal took over the administrative reins of the province.

Two years back, the executive district officer (EDO) for health had linked the registration of private hospitals and clinics to the development of a network for proper and safe disposal of waste, but his directives fell on deaf ears.

The hospital waste management team comprises pharmacists, engineers, infection control officers, heads of all departments, senior paramedics, radiology officers under the lead of medical superintendent. The Act envisages an advisory committee headed by the health secretary to review rules and recommend amendments wherever necessary for effective management of hospital waste.

It is the obligation of every hospital to acquire a licence from the federal or provincial environmental agency in accordance with the Hazardous Substance Rules, 2000.

According to a doctor working on hospital waste management for the last five years, an estimated 2,800kg waste is generated by the three teaching hospitals of Peshawar in a day. Roughly, one kilogramme of waste is generated by one bed which includes hazardous materials in need of immediate and safe disposal. However, the lack of infrastructure has increased the risks, he added.

The Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH), the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) and the Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) had installed incinerators four years back with each costing about Rs3.2 million. However, the lack of management has made them of little use as waste is still handled by the sweepers.

There was no assessment or monitoring of the incinerators ever since these were installed. Initially, its impact was supposed to be assessed periodically and if found feasible, rest of the hospitals were to be provided the same facility.

Nevertheless, the three dual-chamber incinerators have the waste combustion capacity at 3,000 Celsius. The waste is not properly disposed off because of the hospital managements’ inability to give priority to the issue, said a doctor. These incinerators omit toxic fumes thus putting people at the risk of tuberculosis, chest, gastro-intestinal and skin infections.

The health professionals and attendants too, are at the risk of being infected by the Hepatitis B & C and HIV/AIDS as they come in contact with the blades and needles.

Some hospitals and clinics do not want to use incinerators as they earn fair amount by selling the used syringes, said another doctor. The problem gets more alarming when dustbins at the hospitals are not emptied regularly.

Several hospital workers in the city have been infected by the Hepatitis, said a pathologist adding that others were at the risk.