How to handle the medical wastes generated while treating the patients?
Posted on: 22/Apr/2020 6:06:43 PM - No. of views : (2596)
The Central Pollution Control Board has released the guidelines on how to handle the medical wastes generated during the coronavirus treatment.
The Central Pollution Control Board has emphasised that the guidelines prescribed under the Bio-medical Waste Management Rules under Act 201 by all the hospitals, isolation wards, isp; action centres, Test sample collecting centres, and Laboratories related to the coronavirus treatment administered for the coronavirus confirmed patients and those who have symptoms for the same.
In a letter sent to all the State Government Pollution Control Boards regarding this, the guidelines mentioned for the handling/disposal of the medical waste during the coronavirus treatment, it is mentioned:
There are regulations to handle the medical waste during the coronavirus patient treatment just as they are in handling the H1N1and HIV patients� treatment.
The medical waste collected in isolation wards must be collected in bins/bags/ vessels with a special allotted colour and handled properly.
In order to collect the medical wastes of the COVID-19 isolated wards. 2 numbers of Double-layered bags must be used. Thus, the bag would be sturdy and there would be no leaks.
Before handing over the medical waste to the approved staff, these wastes must be stored in temporary storage rooms and kept separately. In order for easy identification, the label �COVID-19 waste� must be give4n for the bags.
The waste from these wards must be maintained in a separate register. A special exclusively identified pushcarts must be used for this purpose.
The receivers, waste bins, pushcarts used for handling COVID-19 medical wastes must be sprayed with 1% sodium hypochlorite solution both inside and external surfaces for disinfection.
The records/entries of the details of the COVID-19 treatment wards, isolated houses must be maintained in special registers. The procedure of the collection of wastes as per guidelines and the removal of the same must be checked and confirmed ok.
What should the other hospitals do?
In the case of other hospitals which do not treat coronavirus infection, it has been identified that some patients coming for treatment have been identified with coronavirus infection! In the anxiety that it may spread through these patients to others, especially, the hospital staff, some of the hospitals even close down!
In a guideline released by the Central Ministry of Health regarding this, certain activities are rececommended such as immediate isolation of the patient detected with coronavirus, identifying the related contacts, cleaning with disinfectants, etc. If these are done, then, there would not be any necessity to close the hospital!
If new patients are being identified successively, then it is ok to close this ward on a temporary basis. After the hospital is entirely properly cleaned with disinfectants, it can be reopened and reused!�
