Agreement soon: LWMC's cooperation to be sought for hospitals waste's disposal

Health Department will seek co-operation of Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) for disposal of public sector hospitals waste of provincial metropolis and an agreement in this regard would be inked soon. Lahore Waste Management Company will evolve a centralised hospital waste management system in the suburbs of the city for disposal of hospitals waste, Advisor to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique said.
The meeting considered various proposals of disposing wastes of government and private hospitals and discussed in detail autoclave system and incineration system. Salman Rafique said that transportation and disposal of wastes of government hospitals will be the responsibility of LWMC and Health Department will pay as per the decided rates and necessary amendments would be made in Hospital Waste Management Rules 2005 for making private hospitals a part of this system.
Secretary Environment Rasheed Chaudhry said that disposal of hospital waste is not the responsibility of health department only but it is also an environmental problem and Environment Department will fulfil its responsibilities in this regard. The meeting decided that the certificates would issue to the hospitals every year by the officers of Local Government or other concerned departments in this regard. Secretary Health, Secretary Environment, Chairman Lahore Waste Management Company, Additional Secretary Health Technical, Director Punjab Hepatitis Control Programme and other senior officers attended the meeting.