9th Jun 2019 10:06:PM Editorials
Eastern Sentinel Arunachal News

Environment degradation and health hazards are the two interlinked issues that have been tormenting nations all across globe. In colloquial parlance ‘environmental degradation’ at once conjures the picture of smokes discharged from factories and vehicles and world is now facing a series of ultimata to address it or face more severe consequences. And that what has added more to the quantum of this challenge is Biomedical Waste (BMW), a hazard equally threatening like any conventional instance of pollution. The district authorities are also gearing up to ensure strict implementation of the relevant laws and directives in this regard in Arunachal Pradesh.

Biomedical waste is unlike normal trash or general waste and may be understood as that originating primarily fromhospitals, nursing homes, dispensaries, health centers, etc. containing infectious or potentially infectious materials. Now it is a well-established fact that biomedical waste exerts many far-reaching adverse and harmful effects on human health and the environment as well, making its management aspect an area of increasing difficulty. Since medical care is something that is indispensable for life and health, it is apparent that there will be an uninterrupted generation of relatively large amounts of potentially infectious and hazardous wastes. In India the problem is severe since there has been a substantial increase in overall healthcare facilities, both in governmental and private levels to meet the medical needs of an ever increasing population.

To cope up with this newly evolving and rapidly changing scenario, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had amended Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016 twice in quick successions in 2018 and 2019 to strengthen the implementation of an environmentally sound management mechanism of biomedical waste in the country. The important inclusions in March 2018 amendment had stipulated bio-medical waste generators including hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, dispensaries, etc. to phase out chlorinated plastic bags excluding blood bags and gloves and for operators of common bio-medical waste treatment and disposal facilities to establish bar coding and global positioning system, all within March 27, 2019. Again, an important addition in February 2019 amendment has now made it compulsory for all bedded Healthcare Facilities (HCFs), irrespective of their number of beds to regularly update BMW Management register and display monthly records on its website, among others.

But since these recent amendments have just come into force, an exhaustive enforcement mechanism with emphasis on adequate sensitization of all stakeholders with the core message that it’s more a social responsibility than just a legal obligation, is perhaps the need of the hour.

If an immediate responsiveness is not displayed, there are high chances that BMW, the newest addition in the list of health hazards might soon culminate into an ominous peril.


Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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