Medical waste lying open in the hospital. Awakening
Swadesh Kumar, New Delhi. Leftover or expired medicines at home are ultimately thrown into the garbage. This waste leaves the house and reaches the landfill site. At some places people even throw it outside their houses. It ultimately ends up in the drains. But people are not aware that by doing this they are increasing the risk of AMR.
These medicines get mixed with groundwater or Yamuna. We drink treated water but the effect of these medicines remains in it. Because their research is not possible with a normal water purification plant. This increases the risk of AMR. To avoid this, medical waste has been kept in a separate category from normal waste.
Hospitals or health centers have separate arrangements for disposal of medically used materials. But there is negligence in disposal of medical waste from homes to small health centers or testing centers open on the streets.
There are a total of about 10,400 health institutions in the capital. This includes private, government hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and labs. The number of government hospitals is about 40, as well as hundreds of dispensaries. According to Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), around 74 tonnes of bio-medical waste is generated daily. Whereas at present two plants are running in the capital for disposal of medical waste. Their capacity is 70 tonnes per day.
This means that even if both the plants work at full capacity, four tonnes of medical waste is reaching roads, drains and landfill sites every day. Experts say that many tonnes of medical waste does not even reach these plants. In view of this, the Delhi government has announced the installation of two new state-of-the-art bio-medical waste treatment plants. So that the disposal system can be strengthened and the increasing demand of the city can be met.
Plants and their area
Neelothi Plant: Medical waste disposal of Western, South-West, Central, East, Shahdara and North-Eastern districts. GT Karnal Road Plant: For medical waste from North, North-West, South and South-East districts.
Rules for disposal of medical waste should be strictly followed. With this, everyone needs to be aware of the danger of AMR. Instead of throwing away the medicines left here and there after using them in their homes, people should go to the nearby health center and deposit them. There is a system for collecting medical waste in health centres. This will allow it to be disposed of properly.
- Dr. Gladbin Tyagi, CMO, Swami Dayanand Hospital
It is everyone's responsibility to properly dispose of medical waste. There should be arrangements to collect this waste from medical shops to testing labs and other health centers. This is a slow poison which is reaching our body due to different reasons. Medicines or other medical waste that reaches a landfill site is disposed of as normal waste. Fertilizer is made from it. This fertilizer is then found in the soil.
- Dr. BB Wadhwa, former president, Delhi Medical Association
Chyawanprash is a part of every Indian's life, it reduces diseases and increases energy.