Most hosps shut, biomedical waste generation dips in city

TNN | Apr 7, 2020, 04:55 IST

Nagpur: The city’s biomedical waste generation has witnessed steep decline as most private hospitals and clinics remained closed after first coronavirus patient was detected here in March. From an average of 3,136kg hospital waste generated per day, the city is generating 900kg less biomedical waste a day, revealed data procured from Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s solid waste management department.
The NMC has appointed a private agency to collect biomedical waste from over 1,800 institutions, including 632 private hospitals/clinics, OPDs, pathology laboratories, radiology centres etc. Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) and Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH) have their own biomedical waste disposal facilities. The biomedical waste being collected by NMC is being treated at Bhandewadi dumping yard.
According to statistics, in March 2020, the city generated around 83,049kg biomedical waste. “Pre-coronavirus outbreak, i.e. from March 1 to 13, the city’s private hospitals and clinics generated around 40,771kg biomedical waste,” said a senior official from the solid waste management department.
To a query, the official pointed out that most of the private doctors having clinics and even bedded hospitals have shut their establishments in view of the Covid-19 outbreak leading to the lockdown.
Most private medical practitioners haven’t opened their clinics during the lockdown even after orders from the NMC. This has led to reduction in biomedical waste generation. The administration has also warned of action against such doctors who still keep the dispensaries closed.
A private practitioner, requesting anonymity, pointed out that most private clinics lack safety equipment. “There is a shortage of N95 masks also. In the absence of personal protective equipments (PPEs), we may come in contact with the virus if we keep the OPDs open. Hence, most doctors preferred to keep the clinics shut,” he said.
The official said as per Central Pollution Control Board, the NMC has directed all hospitals across corporation limits to dispose of biomedical waste generated from corona patients in yellow-coloured bags only.
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Decoding colour-coded bags
Yellow: Human tissues, organs, body parts, items contaminated by blood/body fluids, soiled cotton & dressing, soiled plaster casts etc
Red: Catheters, tubes, cannulae, syringes, plastic IV bottles & sets, used gloves, infected plastics, specimen containers, lab waste, microbiology cultures, used or discarded bags of blood/blood products, vaccines etc
Blue: Glass items, needles, syringes, scalpels, blades, used and unused sharps etc
Black: Discarded medicines, discarded cytotoxic drugs etc
Green: General waste, non-infected plastic materials & papers, disposables, cardboards, metal containers, office waste, food waste etc
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Waste Generation At A Glance
DATE------------ WEIGHT (IN KGS)
01-03-2020---3195
02-03-2020----3300
03-03-2020---3003
04-03-2020---3284
05-03-2020---3076
06-03-2020---3089
07-03-2020---3016
08-03-2020---3098
09-03-2020---3030
10-03-2020---3020
11-03-2020---3191
12-03-2020---3268
13-03-2020---3201
14-03-2020---2005
15-03-2020---2910
16-03-2020---3106
17-03-2020---3185
18-03-2020---2863
19-03-2020---2803
20-03-2020---2879
21-03-2020---2720
22-03-2020---2715
23-03-2020---2520
24-03-2020---2501
25-03-2020---2408
26-03-2020---2250
27-03-2020---2080
28-03-2020---2140
29-03-2020---1810
30-03-2020---2106
31-03-2020----2080