The mushrooming of hospitals and health care facilities in the state especially in the capital complex has no doubt made healthcare accessible to people but it has also increased the production of hospital waste or bio-medical waste(BMW) that are currently being dumped in shallow pits which are later burnt off. This method, as evident, is not without risks as often anatomical wastes gets exposed when stray dogs and pigs dig it out in search of food. Many hospital authorities are not following the rules for proper disposal of the Biomedical Wastes, which needs to be shredded before handing over to the waste collectors.

The Centre had framed the Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 1998 under the provision of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 which prescribed the procedures for treatment and disposal of bio-medical waste generated by hospitals, nursing homes, dispensaries and clinics. However, most of the hospitals and nursing homes in Arunachal Pradesh don’t have facilities for disposal of bio-medical wastes, according to a recent report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.

The CAG report which was tabled in the state assembly this month highlighted that in 10 government hospitals treatment plants were installed. But they remained non-functional due to lack of trained manpower, technical defects, lack of fund for maintenance besides shortage of power.

Last year authorities of the IMC and Arunachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board (APSPCB) had raised concern at sanitation workers engaged in garbage collection being hurt by syringe and other hospital wastes.

Every year hundreds of people are injured from improperly discarded sharps like needles, syringes and lancets; in turn such injuries transmit blood borne pathogens such as HIV and Hepatitis B and C; despite such high risk, it’s a pity, the health authorities in the state are yet to pay attention to the problem of bio-medical waste.  

However, in all this the biggest sufferers are the poor sanitation workers who have the humongous task of keeping the capital complex clean.

Exposed to a world of hazardous substances, it is sad to see these workers going about their daily task without any protective gear whatsoever. Things such as gloves, boots which is a necessity are also denied. 

The need for a big incinerator cannot be reiterated enough. Garbage management is ineffective without proper disposal especially bio-medical waste which sadly is leap years away in the frontier state.