The prime minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has assigned the Punjab Environmental Protection Department (EPD) to hold the effective monitoring of large private hospitals in the province.
Following the PM directive, the EPD’s implementing agency, Punjab Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has written letters to all the concerned deputy directors (field) in the province to comply with the directions.
Initially this was the duty of Punjab Healthcare commission to keep on the monitoring of private sector hospitals in the province.
A copy of letter available with Daily Times reads that all concerned officials will conduct surprise visits of hospitals in respective areas for effective monitoring and cleanliness in hospitals.
In past, many private and public hospitals have been found in various violations. Besides the poor situations of cleanliness, many of hospitals were lacking the facility of proper disposal of hazardous hospital waste. Moreover, the Punjab EPA always remained under criticism for its reluctance toward the improper disposal of hospital waste in the province.
Proper disposal of hazardous hospital waste remains an unfinished agenda of health policy
According to a report of Punjab Health Department, over 17,000 kilogram infectious waste comes from the hospitals of Lahore on daily basis. Reportedly, a large amount of such waste has been disposed in violation of hospital rules.
To implement over PM’s directions, EPA officials have been ordered to maintain the environmental standards in large private hospitals to be adhered strictly. “All officials are hereby directed to immediately carry out the visit of large private hospitals situated in area of their jurisdiction and to take action under Punjab Environmental Protection Act 1997-if provision of Punjab Hospital Waste Management Rules 2014 and Punjab Environmental Quality Standards (PEQS) for Treatment of Liquid and Disposal of Biomedical Waste-2016 are not implemented in true letter and spirit,” directive reads.
The officials also have been directed to immediately furnish the list of all the hospitals to which notices and Environmental Protection Orders (EPOs) have been issued during 2018-2019 besides the status of filing complaints in Punjab Environmental Tribunal or Environmental Magistrate.
To monitor the efficiency of staff, Secretary EPD will hold a weekly meeting on every Monday where all the field staff will submit their progress report.