The government is preparing 'policy guidelines' for waste ■management in public and private hospitals and clinics in the country.

"It will focus on a regional or common treatment facility for all hospitals and healthcare centres." said a top official of the Directorate of Health.

"However, to implement the guidelines certain acts and rules are needed. These concern technical standards, mechanisms and methods for disposal of hazardous and toxic waste and determining types of hospital waste ( toxic and non-toxic

By Naimul Haq

waste)’’, he said.

At present there is no law which specifically regulates hospital waste disposal system. The Environment Conservation Act (1995) and Rules (1997) partly regulates waste management;

According to World Health Organisation (WHO), there are ■ two types of hospital waste. One

is general and non-hazardous waste not contaminated with blood, body fluids and infectious materials.

The other is waste considered hazardous due to presumed biological and chemical contamination. This category in- . eludes infectious waste, pathological waste, sharps, chemicals. pharmaceutical and radioactive waste.

The new guidelines would enable hospital staff to manage 'potentially harmful waste' with more caution, an official said.

"We considered all problems relating to safe disposal of hospital waste. The guidelines are being prepared in the interest of both patients and those handling the waste", he said.

Director General of Health Directorate Prof A K M Nurul Anwar told this correspondent, "when introduced, we will send instructions to the district and thana hospitals to strictly follow the guidelines."

Meanwhile. Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST) .following its extensive studies on hospital waste disposal mechanism, has suggested some guidelines and rules for hospital waste disposal.

"Environmental degradation seems to have become an inevitable result of our development activities. Some of our activities are so dangerous and we must not pretend that there is no danger lurking around the corner," said Tabassum Dana of BLAST.

She said. "We have put forward a number of recommendations that include defining and classifying medical waste, setting up a separate environment mandate for medical waste, segregating hospital waste at the point of generation and many more."