Kerala State Pollution Control Board Federation of Hospital Administrators-Kerala
Back ground Bio-medical waste constitutes an estimated two percent of municipal waste in the urban areas of India. Though the BMW Rules have been in force for the last 13 years, there is very low compliance level. There are various challenges in the implementation of the system, like lack of capacity among generators and regulators, inadequate infrastructure, finance etc. Kerala is a state with considerable medical infrastructure and has managed to provide and maintain high quality medical care. The advent and surge of medical tourism has also played its part in bringing the medical infrastructure of Kerala in the spot light. But when it comes to managing the waste produced from these healthcare facilities, the State is lagging behind and this presents a serious situation. Sensing a pressing need to get all the stakeholders together to address the concerns at a common platform, Centre for Innovation in Science and Social Action (CISSA), Thiruvananthapuram, and Toxics Link, a Delhi based environmental organisation have joined together to organise a seminar on Issues and Challenges in managing Biomedical waste and elimination of mercury from the th healthcare sector of Kerala at Mascot hotel, Thiruvananthapuram, on 28 November, 2012. The Kerala State Pollution Control Board and Federation of Hospital Administrators (Kerala Chapter) have also associated in the organisation of the Seminar.
Inauguration The seminar was inaugurated by Shri K. Muraleedharan, managements should evolve a new culture of giving in-house Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly. He said that in a training to all staff from the level of Doctors to sweepers in the scenario where waste management has turned out to be the proper management of hospital waste with particular stress most debated topic in Kerala, the issue of biomedical waste to handling of mercury waste. He narrated the evil effects of management assumed utmost significance. Pointing out that mercury from his own experiences. He also suggested as many as ninety five percent of private hospitals several awareness methods which could be adopted in this successfully undertake the management of biomedical regard. waste, he said that the lack of will has come as a bane in this area in Government hospitals. He also pointed out that Shri. K Sajeevan, Chairman, Kerala State Pollution hospital staff themselves had a big role to play in the disposal Control Board said in his presidential address that tons of and management of biomedical waste. He was also of the biomedical waste are discharged from more than 20,000 opinion that the media had a big role in creating awareness in healthcare institutions in Kerala. There is only one agency, this sector and also in bringing the deficiencies to the notice IMAGE, now handling the hospital waste management which of the Government. He offered to intervene to obtain is not at all sufficient. The government gives utmost care and Government sanctions if viable project proposals are importance to this sector. The quantity of mercury is very submitted for the biomedical waste management in the State. limited in the total biomedical waste but it is more than enough to destroy the world, he indicated. He said that the The issue of phasing out of mercury also needs major disposal of CFL lamps that eject mercury has to be awareness programmes and training has to be imparted to considered in a very serious manner. He revealed that the those involved in waste management, said Shri. P. KSPCB has envisaged setting up of at least one biomedical Sreekantan Nair, Director in the Department of Environment waste management plant in every district in the state. and Climate Change who delivered a special address in the Government is inviting reputed agencies to this area with inaugural ceremony. He insisted that the hospital subsidy options.
Padmasree Dr K Marthandan Pillai, Chairman, Anathapuri Hospitals who delivered the key note address said that the Indian Medical Association has strategies for biomedical waste management. He called for effective biomedical waste management systems in every hospital. He pointed out that a Parliamentary Committee had found that Kerala was not adopting any effective system whatsoever. Almost all hospitals are bundling together all wastes and dumping it and causing for hospital waste generated diseases. Shri. V. Rahul Thampi, Programme Officer, Toxics Link briefed the issues and consequences of biomedical waste. He indicated that the issue was least concerned till the 80s but with the burst of hepatitis disease, hospitals became aware of biomedical waste management. Shri Rahul said that 80% of the hospital waste is categorized as general and the rest as dangerously infectious. In most cases the hospitals put the waste together to degrade. Because of this mismanagement around 30% of the population get an infectious hepatitis B. Kerala is high in quality medical care and low in biomedical waste management, he added. Shri. J Chandra Babu, Sr. Environmental Engineer, Central Pollution Control Board said during his felicitation speech that mercury can cause Plasma paralysis. Dr. S K Jawahar, President, FHA-K also spoke on the occasion. He said that we are yet to create awareness in the society about the impacts of medical waste disposals and make people think of this social issue. Earlier Shri VSS Nair who co ordinated the programme welcomed the guests. He narrated his long experience in the field. Dr. C. Suresh Kumar, General Secretary CISSA, paid the vote of thanks. He said that the aim of this seminar was to spread the message to all healthcare institutions. He also mentioned the future plans of CISSA and Toxics Link in this area.
Technical sessions There were three technical sessions. Session I was on Gaps in implementing biomedical waste management in Kerala. This session was chaired by Shri J. Chandra Babu, Senior Environmental Engineer, CPCB. He made a presentation on Issues and challenges in managing biomedical waste. There was also a video presentation on biomedical waste management and mercury toxicity. The following presentations were made in this session: Waste management in hospitals - status of compliance with statutory requirements Ms. Gladius, Senior Engineer, KSPCB Journey towards improving compliance: Role of NGO in biomedical waste management in India Ms. Kankana Das,Programme Officer, Toxics Link Mercury waste management in the healthcare sector of Kerala Shri. VSS Nair, Programme Co-ordinator Bottlenecks in Biomedical Waste Management- Necessities in establishing Centralized treatment facilities Shri G Pramod, IMAGE Session II was on Plugging Gaps in managing biomedical waste This session was chaired by Dr. Sreejith N Kumar, NIMS Medicity. The following presentations were made in this session: Occupational safety and BMW Management- a nurses' perspective Dr. Roy.K.George, Principal, Baby Memorial College of Nursing Future prospects of Biomedical Waste Management Dr M.K Gangadharan, Vice Chairman, IMAGE Session III was Experience sharing in managing biomedical waste & panel discussion on Road map for future of BMW and elimination of mercury from the healthcare sector of Kerala This session was chaired by Dr. R. V. Asokan, Former President of the IMA. This was a very lengthy at the same time lively session in which all the delegates could actively participate and interact with all the Resource persons.
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Address for Communication CISSA, MBC-27, Museum Bains Compound, Nanthancode, Kowdiar P.O, Thiruvananthapuram- 695 003. Telefax: +91 471-2722151, Mob: 09447205913. E mail: cissaindia@gmail.com, www.cissa.co.in