Medical waste poses risk of spreading COVID-19

Medical waste poses risk of spreading COVID-19Photo: Collected

Kamalapur Railway General Hospital, a selected hospital for coronavirus patients, has reportedly been dumping medical waste into outside dustbins instead of using biohazard bags.

The hospital has been treating coronavirus patients since 2 May.

Hospital’s superintendent Syed Firoz Alamgir said, “The waste was dumped into dustbins int the beginning. Now the waste is being kept in drums.”

People involved in waste management of Dhaka city said many other hospitals were not managing waste properly. They are dumping waste in front of the hospitals.

Non–government organisation Environment and Social Development Organisation (ESDO) recently said a total of 14,500 tonnes of waste including masks and gloves were generated after detection of coronavirus infection. This waste is being dumped openly, posing high risk of spreading coronavirus.

The Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) consultant and public health expert Mushtaq Hossain said, “The way the masks and gloves are being kept openly is increasing risks of spreading coronavirus. This waste has to be incinerated at a high temperature.”

Kamalapur Railway General Hospital, a selected hospital for coronavirus patients, has recently dumped medical waste in this way.
Photo: Collected

According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), over 35,000 people have been infected with coronavirus and 544 people died since the detection of coronavirus on 8 March. In the capital Dhaka, most of the patients have been undergoing treatment at home. These patients have been using various equipment including surgical masks and gloves. This waste is being mixed with ordinary waste.

Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) chief waste management officer air commodore Badrul Amin said, “The medical waste from hospitals is being burnt separately. Medical waste generated at home poses risk of transmitting coronavirus and we are planning to manage it properly.”

Four officials engaged in Dhaka city corporation waste management said except few hospitals, most of the hospitals are not keeping medical waste in biohazard bags. They are dumping waste in front of the hospitals.

Non-government organisation Prism Bangladesh has been managing waste in the capital for 16 years.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, the organisation’s coordinator Mazharul Islam said, “The current medical waste has high risk of spreading coronavirus. But most of the hospitals do not disinfect medical waste through autoclave machine. The hospitals also do not keep medical waste into biohazard bags.”

*This report, originally published in Bangla online, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam.