MEDIA

Economics Department News in the Media

Instruments of death

"Healthcare facilities in the country generate two kilogrammes/bed/day of medical waste, out of which, approximately, 0.5kg per/bed/day includes infectious waste. WHO has classified this biomedical waste as "hazardous material that maybe infectious, toxic, or radioactive". Lahore - the largest city of the largest province of Pakistan - houses approximately 60 hospitals and 500 clinics and, thereby, comprises more than 15,000 medical beds in the city. Imagine the magnitude of biomedical waste produced within just the city of Lahore each day.

The improper disposal of biomedical waste can lead to deadly infections such as HIV, HBV and HCV. The problem becomes more severe when the improper disposal of waste gives birth to black markets of contagious biomedical waste and the waste is disposed along with the city's garbage. Such is the case of Lahore."

This Op-ed has been written by Huma Zia, MPhil in Development student at GIDS, Lahore School of Economics.