Waste mismanagement at AIIMS

Staff members allegedly flouting rules while segregating garbage for specifically-created bins

Waste mismanagement at AIIMS

Staff members allegedly flouting rules while segregating garbage for specifically-created bins

The country's one of the premier medical institutes is still grappling with the issue of bio-medical waste disposal. On paper, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has proper written guidelines regarding the subject, but in reality, not many of them are followed.

Trash talk: A board at AIIMS with rules that, sources say, are
rarely followed.

According to the guidelines, the waste should be thrown in specifically created different types of dustbins. There are three bins in the institute-Black, Blue and Yellow. All non- infected waste like paper, eatables, polythene and so on should be thrown in black bucket, infected waste like plastic, sharp items and glass items in blue bucket, and dressing material, blood and body fluids in the yellow bucket.

Many of the nurses and the other paramedical staff members, however, care in the least about what kind of waste goes to which bin. According to doctors, disposal of waste in the right bin is extremely important, as it can be hazardous to patients' health.

'Casual approach'
"There is a lack of awareness among the hospital staff members. The institute should definitely do something about it. Disposal of bio-medical waste is an important step and should be done casually," said one of the doctors, on the condition of anonymity.

A few doctors also complained that the nursing staff was too lazy and sometimes patients, especially those who are poor, are asked to throw out their own waste. "The nursing staff members are lax in carrying out their duties. Disposable waste includes used cotton, syringe, and other simple dressing material. They carry infections along with them which can be really harmful to patients as well as doctors," said another doctor, requesting anonymity.

The Other Side
"The waste has to be segregated. Though from time to time, we have been organising awareness programmes for doctors, nurses and paramedical staff members, such things are still happening. I will definitely look into the matter. We try to aim at 100 per cent segregation, but such mistakes take place sometimes. If staff members are asking patients to dispose off bio-medical waste, this is a wrong practice and action will be taken," said Dr DK Sharma, medical superintendent, AIIMS.