The Nature and Environmental Care Agency (Pilang) has urged the government to control and supervise medical waste to avoid the risk of virus transmission.
The agency warns that current waste management procedures in hospitals are ineffective and a threat to public health and safety in Bali.
(Image: ©The Bali Sun – I Wayan Yatika)
During a press conference on Monday (7/12), The Executive Director of Pilang, Ni Made Ayu Indrawati, explained the findings of her research on medical waste disposal.
According to Indrwati, the current procedures to manage medical waste violate government regulations and can lead to an increased transmission of Covid-19 virus in Bali.
There are 58 general hospitals and 282 clinics in Bali. These health facilities produce tons of medical waste each day, especially since the start of the pandemic.
(Image: ©The Bali Sun – I Wayan Yatika)
The hospital selected by the government to treat Covid-19 patients, Sanglah Public Hospital, produces 1.1 tons of medical waste each day. The combined medical waste produced by all health facilities in Bali results in a total of 3.3 tons.
“I urge the government to inspect the sites, to see what’s happening before it’s too late” Made Ayu warned after highlighting the dangers of medical waste if not treated correctly.
(Image: ©The Bali Sun – I Wayan Yatika)
She suggested an internal team to focus solely on this project, instead of a third party.
She admitted that Pilang has been assessing the medical waste treatment in Bali and that they are in need of government resources to carry out this project. Meanwhile, the Director of Sanglah Hospital, Ni Luh Dharma Kerti Natih, admitted that the hospital is still using third parties to handle solid medical waste such as masks and gloves.
(Image: ©The Bali Sun – I Wayan Yatika)
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