The story of the Sambhavna Clinic, a non-profit holistic health clinic in Bhopal, India, built to treat those injured by the Union Carbide toxic gas release in 1984. enlarge video
Medical Waste a Concern
Environmental activists on Wednesday raised their concerns over improper medical waste management at a programme in Kathmandu. Citing that improper management of the waste generated by hospitals not only pollutes the environment, but also poses a health hazard to the hospital staff and the general public, activists said hospitals must begin to dispose their waste carefully.
"Though guidelines for proper management of healthcare waste have been framed in Nepal, they are rarely followed by the hospitals."
Director, Healthcare Waste
Program, Health Care Fdn.
Speaking at the programme, Ruth Stringer, coordinator of Health Care without Harm in International Science and Policy, said that medical waste may be small in quantity and can be managed easily, but if it is not disposed of properly, there are chances that it may pose huge health problems. “There is an urgent need to raise the level of awareness among both the public and health professionals,” said Stinger.
According to a survey of World Health Organization (WHO) conducted in 22 developing countries including Nepal in 2002, at least 64 percent health facilities do not use proper waste disposal methods in these countries. An estimate by the same organisation also stated that at least 50 percent of the current world population is at risk due to improper medical waste management.
“Though guidelines for proper management of healthcare waste have been framed in Nepal, they are rarely followed by the hospitals,” said Mahesh Nakarmi, director of Healthcare waste Programme at the Health Care Foundation.
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