In absence of a garbage truck, medical wastes generated by Damphu Hospital in Tsirang are being dumped and burnt within the hospital area. It has been more than a week since the garbage truck stopped coming to their vicinity.
According to the Hospital, wastes generated by a hospital should be decontaminated and burnt within 48 hours. Indiscriminate littering, dumping and burning of waste are not only an unpleasant sight but pose a huge environmental problem leading to ecological and health hazards.
Speaking to our Bureau Correspondent, Yeshi Nidup, Emal Bahadur, who is a brother in the hospital said injections and other sharps objects are disinfected and burned inside the hospital compound. However, he said, there is only so much they can do. “Wastes which we cannot burn and are one day old emanate foul smell which could compromise the health of our patients and staff,” he said.
Tsirang district has one garbage truck and a tractor. However, the garbage truck which was donated by the Government of Japan has been in a workshop for last five months.
The Chairman of Municipal Authority, Kinley Gyeltshen, said they were not able to get the spare parts. But, he said waste collection has never been compromised. “We have tractor and a DCM truck which we use as an alternative to collect waste. I think people were not aware about the DCM truck.”
Meanwhile, the hospital says they have sent a written complaint to the municipal authority but, they say, an action is yet to be taken.
