SMC to check waste disposal system

Taking lessons from the hepatitis outbreak in various parts of the state, Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has decided to conduct checks at various hospitals and clinics in the city to verify whether they are following medical waste disposal norms.

Municipal commissioner of SMC, S Aparna hold a meeting with all civic medical officials on Saturday, to decide future course of action for preventing outbreak of any infectious disease in the city. She asked the officials to carry out close checks in all hospitals and private clinics in the city to ensure that disposal of bio-medical waste are being done as per the prescribed norms. They have also been asked to check whether the units are registered with SMC.

"There are more than 2,500 hospitals, clinics and laboratories in the city, but only 1,500 have registered with SMC for medical waste disposal facility. We focus on small clinics and laboratories in poor locality and new areas, where rules are not followed properly. We are hopeful that survey will help in complete enforcement," E H Pathan, head of civic solid waste management said. Hemant Desai, medical officer, SMC, said that civic body had already initiated survey in all zones to fix the exact number of hospitals and clinics in the city.  Officials said that checks were badly needed as more than 35% of the clinics and small labs were still unregistered.