Health Ministry to investigate hospital’s pre-disposal storage of medical waste

Jul 27, 2018 News

…as nearby resident complains of potential hazard

Concerns about the pre-disposal storage of bio-hazardous waste at the privately-operated Woodlands Hospital have been troubling enough to warrant an investigation. This is according to Public Relations Officer within the Ministry of Public Health, Mr. Terrence Esseboom.
Esseboom’s remarks came on the heels of startling information [photographs and complaints] which shows that the hospital pre-disposal arrangement is particularly wanting.
The matter is one that requires the attention of the Environmental Health Unit of the Ministry, Esseboom informed yesterday.
But based on a thread of emails seen by this publication yesterday, the matter was brought to the attention of a senior Environmental Health Officer, who had assured, since earlier this month, that the matter is being dealt with. This was in response to the complaint of a resident living within close proximity of the hospital.
In response to the concerns of the resident, the senior health official said “Please note that your matter is being looked into seriously by the Ministry of Public Health and the Environment Protection Agency. Efforts are being made to alleviate this serious health situation.”

The area that the receptacle is located as seen from another level

Some medical waste lying on the ground.

However, the complaining resident in an email yesterday revealed that up to yesterday the matter had not been addressed. “…I have highlighted this situation to the Ministry but I am yet to see anyone.”
The situation that exists based on the complaint levelled by the resident is that the hospital “does not take care in its disposal of bio hazardous waste”. Bio-hazardous waste is any waste containing infectious materials or potentially infections substances such as blood.
Several photos, one as recent as yesterday, showed bags of medical waste overflowing from a waste receptacle. Some of the bags were also stacked on the ground with what appeared to be blood nearby. It is believed that although the waste is stored in the appropriately coloured [red] bags, damage to them resulted in blood seeping out from syringes they contain.
Other photographs also show syringes and other medical waste spilled onto the ground.
The resident is worried that the state of affairs has been lending to the exposure of the neighbourhood to germs and, by extension, diseases. The resident reported of illness within the home which is suspected to be directly linked to the situation in the hospital’s compound.

An overflowing medical waste receptacle
with a stream of blood nearby.

According to the resident, “Both my children are ill at the moment and I am convinced it’s the transference of germs being spread by the cats, flies and rats eating this waste and then going about their business in the yard.”
In a letter to the Health Ministry last month, the resident claimed to have information that the hospital was advised by the Health Ministry to implement measures to minimise the escape of fumes and to practise improved sanitation to eliminate health risks to the neighbouring population.
However, the resident’s claim is that “the hospital has so far seen it fit to ignore these recommendations and has continued to expose the neighbourhood to the unsanitary conditions of bio-hazard waste.”
“I am very concerned at the blatant disregard of environmental welfare and safety which this hospital is showing to both the surrounding neighbours and your Ministry,” the resident detailed in an email, even as an appeal was made for an inspection of the hospital.
When contacted by telephone on the matter yesterday, a representative of the hospital claimed to be unaware of the dilemma highlighted by the resident. In fact the official said of the medical waste, “we store in the way we are supposed to store them. I don’t think they are stored in any different way.” However, the representative advised this publication to speak with another hospital staffer and shortly after abruptly discontinued the telephone call. Further calls to the same number went unanswered.
This publication understands that the hospital utilises the medical waste disposal service of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation and the piled-up waste is usually removed on Thursdays.