Daily Times

Sir: Tons of medical waste is produced by Pakistani hospitals on a monthly basis. This waste poses a serious hazard to the environment and the public. For example, diseases can re-emerge from garbage dumps with medical waste. Further, there are small cartels operating in the main cities that collect, ‘clean’ and re-sell plastic syringes, which is a deadly practice that has already resulted in the infection of several unknowing patients with diseases like Hepatitis.

All medical institutions should be made to follow a stringent protocol for the disposal of medical waste. This protocol should be agreed upon by the health departments of all four provinces in consultation with the National Institute of Health in Islamabad. Hospitals, public or private, that fail to comply with this protocol should be fined heavily, and repeat offenders should be forced to shut down until proper measures have been taken for the safe disposal of medical waste.
Further, there should be operations conducted by the police to locate and shut down the cartels that re-sell syringes. There are several medical establishments across the country that knowingly purchase this dangerous equipment. They should be punished as well. There is no better way to restore the faith in the healthcare provided in this country than to ensure that hospitals are run in the best way possible.
SAQIB HAROON
Lahore