NEWS

The annual bio-medical waste generation in the country is around 5.4 million tonnes, but only 29 per cent of the health care institutions in the country are taking measures for its safe disposal. There is need for every hospital to set up the requisite bio-medical waste (BMW) treatment facilities. Hospitals must ensure required treatment of waste at common treatment facility for which the cost of construction, operation and maintenance of system should represent a significant part of the overall budget of a hospital if BMW rules were to be implemented in their true spirit, said Dr Bina R Sawhney, chief medical officer, directorate of health services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, while addressing delegates at a “Conference on Bio-Medical Waste Management” organised by CII, northern region, here recently. Putting forth the perspective of private health care sector, Daljit Singh, chairman, CII health care sub-committee, northern region, identified compliance and monitoring as the most crucial aspects for effective BMW management.