‘Mind your medical waste’

THE Department of Health (DOH) called on healthcare facilities and local government units (LGUs) to properly dispose of medical waste, including personal protective equipment (PPE) and used syringes, and warned of sanctions on violators of disposal protocols.

“We are not going to tolerate this kind of irresponsible behaviour because it can cause harm to other citizens,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an online media forum.

She made the remarks following a report that seven children in Virac, Catanduanes, had gotten infected with Covid-19 after apparently playing with medical waste illegally dumped by a medical diagnostic centre in the province.

“We would like to remind our facilities, laboratories, hospitals and LGUs: We have a law that covers these kinds of violations. We also have policies to guide you on what you’re supposed to do with these wastes,” she said.

Vergeire said that while used syringes from vaccination sites would not in themselves cause Covid-19 infections, their improper disposal could cause the spread of other diseases.

In a recent report, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said discarded syringes, used test kits, and old Covid-19 vaccine bottles had added up to tens of thousands of tonnes of medical waste, threatening health and the environment.

The WHO called for reform and investment in the reduction of plastic packaging and in the manufacture of protective gear from reusable and recyclable materials.

Vergeire said the DOH had been in touch with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and LGUs on the proper disposal of medical waste.

“We have anticipated so much healthcare waste. These include the huge number of PPE we dispose of every day and the syringes that we use for vaccinations,” she said.

A medical facility will not be licensed to operate if it does not have a proper waste disposal system, Vergeire said.

“The DOH checks their capability to process their medical wastes. We’re closely monitoring that along with the DENR,” she said.

At the same forum, Dr Edsel Salvana ruled out the possibility of reducing the use of PPE by healthcare workers just to ease the accumulation of medical waste.

Salvana, a member of the DOH’s Technical Advisory Group, cited standards or guidelines followed by healthcare workers on the proper use of PPE. — Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN