Gulam Rabbani :
Large number of single-time used medical wastes related to Covid-19 virus disease is posing a serious health threat to the dwellers of the capital city.
Most of the personal protective equipments such as gloves, masks and head-caps are being discarded here and there after use. The medical wastes dumped without proper process are creating serious health risks to the people.
At present time, a significant number of coronavirus patients are receiving treatment at home due to the lacking of sufficient hospital beds. The protective equipments used by the patients are being mixed easily with the ordinary wastes due to the poor waste management.
Besides, most of the hospitals are not working in accordance with the rules of medical waste management except for a handful of hospitals.
The experts are saying if we mix these medical wastes
with the ordinary wastes, the danger will increase in near future. This will increase the risk of infection with new types of viruses, they added.
At least 14,500 tons of wastes, including used gloves, masks, sanitizer containers and polythene, have been generated in the first month of lockdown across Bangladesh, said a study report of Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO).
About 11.2 percent of this waste apparently are surgical face masks, 21 percent polythene-made normal gloves, 20 percent surgical gloves, 40.9 percent single use polythene shopping bags, and 6.4 percent empty bottles of hand sanitisers.
Most of the wastes were thrown here and there without any proper management which has already created a serious threat to the public health across the country, especially in the capital city.
The most waste collectors of the two city corporations of Dhaka are collecting these wastes without any personal protective equipment. During a recent talking, some waste collectors recently said that they had found plastic hand gloves, surgical masks and other PPEs while collecting domestic wastes. Besides, many of the PPEs were seen abandoned in the roads, they claimed.
When the discarded plastic wastes are collected or handled by waste collectors or personnel in waste management facilities without taking protective measures, it may get them infected. Informal waste collectors in Dhaka are working without adequate protection with heightened risk of getting infection from hazardous wastes.
Dr Shahriar Hossain, Secretary General ESDO, said, “Medical wastes from hospitals and other healthcare organizations have to be collected, stored, transported, treated, and disposed of so that it does not cause further risks of infections or pollution.”
The medical wastes and abandoned PPEs should be buried under the surface as a interim disposal system, he suggested adding that the authorities concerned should take a long run plan over the issue.
Large number of single-time used medical wastes related to Covid-19 virus disease is posing a serious health threat to the dwellers of the capital city.
Most of the personal protective equipments such as gloves, masks and head-caps are being discarded here and there after use. The medical wastes dumped without proper process are creating serious health risks to the people.
At present time, a significant number of coronavirus patients are receiving treatment at home due to the lacking of sufficient hospital beds. The protective equipments used by the patients are being mixed easily with the ordinary wastes due to the poor waste management.
Besides, most of the hospitals are not working in accordance with the rules of medical waste management except for a handful of hospitals.
The experts are saying if we mix these medical wastes
with the ordinary wastes, the danger will increase in near future. This will increase the risk of infection with new types of viruses, they added.
At least 14,500 tons of wastes, including used gloves, masks, sanitizer containers and polythene, have been generated in the first month of lockdown across Bangladesh, said a study report of Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO).
About 11.2 percent of this waste apparently are surgical face masks, 21 percent polythene-made normal gloves, 20 percent surgical gloves, 40.9 percent single use polythene shopping bags, and 6.4 percent empty bottles of hand sanitisers.
Most of the wastes were thrown here and there without any proper management which has already created a serious threat to the public health across the country, especially in the capital city.
The most waste collectors of the two city corporations of Dhaka are collecting these wastes without any personal protective equipment. During a recent talking, some waste collectors recently said that they had found plastic hand gloves, surgical masks and other PPEs while collecting domestic wastes. Besides, many of the PPEs were seen abandoned in the roads, they claimed.
When the discarded plastic wastes are collected or handled by waste collectors or personnel in waste management facilities without taking protective measures, it may get them infected. Informal waste collectors in Dhaka are working without adequate protection with heightened risk of getting infection from hazardous wastes.
Dr Shahriar Hossain, Secretary General ESDO, said, “Medical wastes from hospitals and other healthcare organizations have to be collected, stored, transported, treated, and disposed of so that it does not cause further risks of infections or pollution.”
The medical wastes and abandoned PPEs should be buried under the surface as a interim disposal system, he suggested adding that the authorities concerned should take a long run plan over the issue.
