Speakers at a view sharing meeting have underscored the need for hygienic disposal and management of medical wastes which is vital for safe public health.
They viewed reckless dumping and sale of medical wastes continue poses serious threat to public health as serious diseases including Hepatitis B and C and AIDS can easily be transmitted if wastes’ collectors are injured while handling the wastes especially needles.
Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) organized the discussion at its seminar hall here on Saturday where owners of various clinics, private hospitals and diagnostics centers were present.
In the meeting, various issues like registration of the clinics and diagnostics centers, waste disposal and management and different related problems discussed elaborately.
With Mosaddeque Hossain Bulbul, Mayor of RCC, in the chair, president of private clinic owners association Dr Abdul Mannan, vice president Dr Foisal Kabir Chowdhury, General Secretary Mukhlesur Rahman, RCC Councilor Mustaque Hossain Ratan, Secretary Ajahar Ali, Chief Revenue Officer Syeda Jebin Nissa Sultana and Chief Conservancy Officer Sheikh Mamun spoke on the occasion.
The meeting said that some employees of private and public hospitals and diagnostic centres are often found selling used needles, syringes, ampoules, blood bags and a good number of other materials in many city areas that is harmful to the public health. But most of the hospitals and clinics ignored the related government directives.
There are more than 100 hospitals and private clinics operating in the city alone. But, most of them don’t maintain scientific waste management facility.
In the absence of incinerators, the wastes are dumped near the hospital premises and those are collected by vendors and sold to traders for recycling.
Simply disposing of it into dustbins, drains, and canals or finally dumping it to the outskirts of the City poses a serious public health hazard.
Thus, there is a need to initiate a concentrated effort to improve the medical waste management to reduce the negative impact of waste on: environment, public health and safety at health care facilities, the meeting discussed.
RCC Mayor Bulbul said the authorities concerned must apply law strictly and carry out mass awareness campaign throughout the year in order to stop reckless dumping and sale of medical wastes for the sake of protecting public health.
Media can also play a vital role in achieving the cherished goal, he added.
