Policy to be developed for improved disposal of medical waste

  

Health and Wellness Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton says a policy is being worked on to upgrade the system for the disposal of medical waste to prevent further pile-up at health facilities.

 

Radio Jamaica News recently reported that there was a backlog of uncollected waste from the Victoria Jubilee Hospital in Kingston and the St. Jago Health Centre which stores waste for the Spanish Town Hospital in St. Catherine.

 

Medical waste includes items used to test or treat patients, such as bandages, gloves, swabs, and sharp implements like needles or scalpels.

 

The waste is not dumped at any disposal site, but is taken to a specialised facility.

 

Dr. Tufton says while the waste has been cleared from the hospital and health centre, the buildup will recur, without a consistent removal process. 

 

"Part of the challenge of medical waste is that we manage two incinerators, one here in Kingston, another out west. We've had a lot of issues with those facilities. I have a particular opinion on it. It's not yet policy. But I don't know if we're capable or have the technology and the competences currently to manage in a consistent way the medical waste that we generate as a country. And I think it's something we need to explore, to look at new technologies and indeed the possibility of outsourcing. But that's a conversation that's taking place internally," he admitted.

 

 

In the meantime, the Accident and Emergency departments of public hospitals are preparing for the usual influx in trauma cases at this time of the year, which leads to overcrowding.

 

Health and Wellness Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton said the cases usually stem from motor vehicle crashes and excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages and foods.

 

"And then there are some of the chronic cases. Make sure you take your medication. Those who are hypertensive and then are encouraged to drink alcohol, or diabetic eating certain foods, those contribute to it. So at this time of year we usually have a spike, and...we have managed it in the past, so we're preparing to manage it. But we want to discourage it as much as possible," he stressed.