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COVID-19 BIOMEDICAL waste to the tune of 8.6 lakh kg has been generated throughout 160 hospitals within the metropolis between March 20 and October 20. The day by day quantity of Covid biomedical waste, nevertheless, has decreased within the final two months on account of fewer constructive circumstances. But a number of hospitals are upset over the large bills they have attracted for disposing of the waste, with some even threatening to go to courtroom over the matter. Several hospitals are protesting the rate of Rs 100 per kg for disposing of Covid biomedical waste.
The PMC has outsourced the work of treating and disposing of Covid biomedical waste to a non-public agency, Passco Environmental Solutions, which has submitted a invoice of Rs 8.7 crore to the civic physique. Covid waste primarily contains PPE fits, masks, shoe covers, gloves and gadgets contaminated with bodily fluids.
Bomi Bhote, chairperson of the affiliation of hospitals in Pune, stated the rate was not possible, and urged the civic physique to rethink.
Dr Dhananjay Kelkar, medical director of Deenanath Mangeshkar hospital, informed The Indian Express that the charges had been thrice the quantity levied for disposing of biomedical waste. “This is unfair and we will file a case in the court against these rates,” he stated.
Dr H Okay Sale, govt director of Noble hospital, stated they acquired a invoice of Rs 40 lakh from April to August. “There is a price cap on treating Covid patients. We have faced several issues like staff shortage, and have had to coax staff to stay on and assist with treatment. We cannot afford to pay such huge sums and will pay at the rate prior to the Covid pandemic,” Dr Sale stated.
According to Dr Madhur Rao, senior deputy medical administrator, KEM hospital, the hike was unfair. “We cannot sustain paying Rs 100 rate per kg at all; this is uneconomical,” he stated.
Dr Sanjay Patil, chairperson of Indian Medical Association’s Hospital Board of India (Pune Chapter), stated small and medium nursing properties merely couldn’t afford these charges. “We have requested the authorities to waive these charges,” Dr Patil stated.
Civic officers stated because of the pandemic, authorities initially needed to tackle points such as employees scarcity at healthcare amenities and mattress scarcity for Covid sufferers. “A presentation was made by Passco Environmental Solutions as to how they arrived at the rate of levying Rs 100 per kg as they too incurred several costs for transporting and treating Covid-19 waste. A meeting will be held soon to decide on the issue,” stated Manisha Naik, Assistant Medical Officer, PMC.
Sunil Dandawate, director of Passco Environmental Solutions, informed The Indian Express that the agency had in contrast the charges with 12 different municipal firms. “The incinerator at the common biomedical waste treatment facility initially broke down due to the tremendous load of Covid biomedical waste. Till June, this waste included leftover food and plates used by Covid-19 patients. Soon though, food and plates were considered solid waste and disposed of according to solid waste management rules. Initially, Covid biomedical waste was 9,000 kg per day (with food). After being segregated, it was approximately 6,000 kg per day. Still, we had to incur the cost of transporting the waste to the common hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facility at Taloja in Mumbai,” Dandawate stated.
He added that although load had come down, a minimum of 2,500 kg Covid biomedical waste was being generated day by day, and that funds had been now being made to the operator at Taloja on the 16th of every month and the agency was unable to satisfy the associated fee.
Over 1.6 lakh sufferers have undergone therapy for Covid-19 within the metropolis, whereas 4,577 have died of the viral an infection. At current, there are 388 important sufferers at completely different hospitals, out of which 235 are on ventilator assist. According to civic authorities, until Sunday night time, there have been 5,191 energetic circumstances within the metropolis.
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