Lahore, Apr 7 (TNS): The Punjab government has taken firm measurement for disposal of Infectious Hospital Waste Management (IHWM) which includes the management of infectious waste through proper segregation, collection, storage, transportation and incineration.
Before June 2016, Infection control was a small component of Hepatitis Control Program. However, a dedicated PC-1 was prepared for 2016-2018 with a cost of PKR 940.948 Million. The PC-1 has been revised and approved with three times increase in the previous cost (2.691 Billion) for 2016-19. There are 169 primary and secondary hospitals with a total bed capacity of 35611 that produce 73715 kgs of waste per day out of which 18,637 is the amount of infectious waste produced in a day.
Three major components of safe Hospital Waste Management are working together to ensure proper disposal of waste in Punjab that includes segregation and storage, transportation and incineration of waste. WHO guidelines are being followed as well as technical training is being provided to the staff through the year to meet the standards. One of the landmark initiatives taken by the provincial government is the development of the Web-based Hospital Waste Management Information System (MIS) where data of all hospitals and every single waste bag is traceable on web-based MIS which has made functional across 36 districts of the Province of Punjab.
Private hospitals are also being engaged, MoUs have been signed with 309 private sector hospitals for waste collection and incineration. The SH&ME facilities in Sialkot (Allama Iqbal Memorial Hospital) and Sahiwal (DHQ Teaching Hospital Sahiwal) are already providing incineration facility services to 71 and 11 private facilities respectively.
