Angul: With government hospitals failing to live up to expectations in delivering healthcare services across the district, Angul town is witnessing mushrooming of private nursing homes and clinics.
These healthcare centres allegedly have a role in polluting the environment as most of them have been flouting the medical waste management guidelines with impunity.
Every day hundreds of patients from urban and rural areas visit the nursing homes and private clinics in Angul town as they get quicker service there compared to the government hospitals which are grappling with staff shortage issue.
Apart from delivering quicker service, these clinics are said to be equipped with latest medical equipment. However, there are many nursing homes that are dumping their medical waste at their backside or at places by the roadside where garbage are generally dumped.
Among the dumped medical wastes, one can find bandage clothes, blood-soaked cotton pieces, catheter, empty blood packets, saline bottles, syringes and needles. They can be harmful if anyone accidentally comes in contact with them. Some major clinics are allegedly the villain of the piece.
These clinic authorities have denied their role in polluting the atmosphere. “We are not allowing the medical waste generated from our clinics to be dumped here and there. We are burying them and for this, we don’t need any permission from anyone,” a senior official of a leading nursing home said.
According to multiple sources, the regional office of Odisha State Pollution Control Board had issued show-cause notices to all the nursing homes after getting similar complaints against them earlier. The district administration had also been informed at that time. However, no action was taken against them.
According to local residents including Sangeeta Mohanty, Bhupesh Pradhan, Rukesh Roshan Das and some others, the private nursing homes are dutybound to obey the guidelines regarding medical waste management. But the district health department is not keeping a tab on them.
“The officials of the health department and OSPCB should conduct surprise raids on these nursing homes. This is not happening. Negligence on part of the administration is encouraging them to treat the wastages anyway they wish,” said Mohanty.
Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Dr Abhay Kumar Dash, when contacted, said the nursing homes have frequently been inspected. “They are informing us that they are properly managing waste products. We will form a dedicated team to inspect private clinics and nursing homes in days to come,” Dash added.