Safe disposal of infectious medical waste remains elusive in Karachi — I
Hospitals, agencies struggle to ensure safe disposal amid weak oversight and overlapping jurisdictions By Mukhtar Alam KARACHI: Safe disposal of infectious medical waste in Karachi remains a distant dream despite the presence of multiple regulatory and implementing bodies for years — a situation raising serious health and environmental concerns, this has emerged lately. The Sindh capital — home to hundreds of public and private hospitals that generate medical and infectious waste daily — continues to await an integrated, foolproof system for its safe and scientific collection and disposal. Sources in health and environmental circles blame municipalities and other government watchdogs for the looming crisis threatening public health, the environment, and the city’s aesthetics. Environmental experts estimate that Karachi generates over 500 tonnes of healthcare waste every day, a sizeable portion of which is highly infectious — particularly from operating theatres, isolation war...