In order to bound the large private hospitals of the province to follow environmental standards and ensuring proper cleanliness, the Environment Protection Department (EPD) Punjab has directed all its field formations to carry out surprise visits of hospitals.
According to a letter issued to all its Deputy Directors/ Assistant Directors (Field), Prime Minister Imran Khan has assigned the subject task for carrying out surprise visits of hospital for effective monitoring and ensuring cleanliness in hospitals.
It may be mentioned that the Prime Minister had also issued similar directives to the provincial health department some two months back to keep a strict check on cleanliness, adhering to environmental standards and proper disposal of hospital wastes.
The letter advised its field formations that environmental standards in large private hospitals should be strictly adhered to. Therefore, field officers should immediately carry out visits of large hospitals situated in their respective jurisdiction and take action against those which are not implementing Punjab Environmental Protection Act, 1997, provisions of Punjab Hospital Waste management Rules, 2014, and Punjab Environmental Quality Standards (PEQS) for treatment of liquid and disposal of bio-medical waste-2016, in letter and spirit.
The notice further said that the list of hospitals to which notices and EPOs have been issued during 2018-19 be also furnished immediately besides status of filing complaints in PET/Environmental Magistrates accordingly.
The department has also asked the field officers that a weekly meeting on the subject matter will be held under the chairmanship of the Secretary EPD on every Monday to review the weekly progress of inspectors and action taken.