UPDATE

Toxics Link in collaboration with Bihar Pollution Control Board organized a ToT Programme on Bio Medical Waste Management & Hazards of Mercury in Patna on 17^th January 2014. The workshop aimed to highlight the issue of medical waste management in Bihar and increase compliance to Bio medical Waste Management and Handling Rule in the state.

The state is facing problems related to segregation and waste management in the healthcare facilities. Majority of the healthcare facilities in Patna are ignorant about management of the Bio Medical Waste and flout the Biomedical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998.The situation is deplorable even in some of the most renowned hospitals across the city, raising serious apprehension on the possible health hazards from these bio- medical wastes. Further, tackling bio medical waste management is a huge challenge in Bihar as most of the hospitals are largely erring on medical waste management and a large part of the infectious waste lies unattended with a high risk of reentering the system. Most of the hospitals running under Patna City subdivision are disposing off their medical wastes like injection needles, syringes, glucose bags on the banks of the river

Owing to the health and environmental hazards posed by mismanagement of medical waste across the state, Toxics Link felt the need for conducting training of trainers (ToT), to put in place the implementation system in individual hospitals. The Chairman and Member Secretary Bihar PCB, Mr. Subash Chandra Singh, talked about the various initiatives, taken by Bihar PCB in its attempt to streamline the medical waste management in the state.

According to him, the State Health Society of Bihar has been responsible for implementation of bio medical waste management system in Primary Health Care, Community Health Care and the district hospitals of Bihar. All these healthcare units across the state are well connected with Common Bio Medical Waste Treatment Facility (CBWTF) for disposal of bio medical waste. The facilities get the entire infrastructure including bags, bins from the CBWTF service provider.

Mr. Satish Sinha, (Associate Director, Toxics Link) briefed on the need for effective management of medical waste, keeping in mind the environment and human health. He urged for the need to stop burning of waste, as it generates carcinogens like dioxin and furans. He emphasized on the fact that, this Rule of 1998 is the only rule that developed as a business model by taking the CBWTF into consideration.

He also talked about the issue of mercury toxicity and existence of a global treaty on mercury. The need for mercury phase out from the healthcare facilities were also discussed in detail. He briefed on the availability of alternates to all the mercury containing products, used in the healthcare sector including thermometer and sphygmomanometer.

The Secretary, Environment & Forests pointed that, although the level of treatment of any diseases has improved; however the level of bio medical waste management is yet to attain the height of betterment. This was followed by a technical session on Dr. Naveen Kumar, (Bihar Pollution Control Board) who threw light on the various aspects of BMW Rule, 1998, its amendment and the supportive guidelines on CBWTF and Incinerator.

Ms. Kankana Das, (Senior Programme Officer, Toxics Link) presented on the need for medical waste management and its linkages to the aspects of occupational safety of healthcare professionals. She also highlighted the various steps which need to be followed for effective management of medical waste in a hospital.

Mr. Rakesh Saran, (Representative from , SIDON, Toxics Link partner NGO in Bihar) shared his experience during the project tenure of last four months. He further presented on a photographic documentation of pre and post intervention status of the four hospitals, with which he had worked as part of TL’s regional intervention in Bihar (in 2013).

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      --Kankana Das