Taking all necessary measures to put into operation Bio-Medical Waste Management and Handling System in the state, Punjab Government has been successful in implementing the same in 173 hospitals working under Punjab Health Systems Corporation.
“Those hospitals which have implemented the Bio-Medical Waste System are abiding by the Bio-Medical Waste Management and Handling Rules,” said Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Madan Mohan Mittal.
He said that these hospitals have entered into a contract with the Common Bio-Medical Waste Treatment Facility (CBWTF) identified by Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) for provision of colour-coded bags for storage of bio-medical waste generated in the hospital and collection of the bio-medical waste from the concerned hospital and then disposing it as per the guidelines.
Four common facilities have been established in the state at SAS Nagar (Mohali), ludhiana, Amritsar, and Pathankot for scientific handling and disposal of bio-medical waste being generated mainly from the hospitals, nursing homes and clinics etc.
PPCB chairman Ravinder Singh said that for the better efficiency and control on the operators of this facility, the Board has recently introduced GPRS system with all the vehicles engaged in the transportation of such wastes from various locations, which is connected with the website of the Board.
He added that the movement of all the vehicles involved in the transportation is being tracked more effectively. Recently, PPCB has also introduced bar code based software for all the Common Bio-Medical Waste Treatment Facilities in the state for real time data for collection treatment and disposal of Bio-Medical Waste so as to ensure that no infected or untreated waste shall be pilferage or dumped in indiscriminate manner by these Treatment Facilities or any other Health Care Facility.