ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) has recently decided to begin disciplinary action against pathology laboratories in the federal capital for violating Pakistan Environmental Protection Act (PEPA), 1997 and Hospital Waste Management Rules (HWMR), 2005.
The hospital waste management was of critical significance. The poor disposal leads to further misuse of hazardous contaminated items into the manufacturing of various plastic products of household use.
Farzana Altaf Shah, Director General, Pak-EPA, told the local news agency that 66 public and private hospitals and pathology labs in the blue area had been sent notices for violating PEPA, 1997 and HWMR, 2005. Those not appearing would be sealed from Monday. She added that all seriously ill patients were tested at these labs, and waste management was critically important.
With the permission of Farzana Altaf Shah, Aamir Abbas Khan, Deputy Director, Legal and Enforcement, had issued the notices.
She said that the CEOs of 10-15 hospitals, including Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) General Hospital, Islamabad Diagnostic Center (IDC), Agha Khan University Hospital (AKUH), Excel Labs, Musharif Hospital and others, appeared on notices for hearing and were fined for unsatisfactory reporting of data.
She highlighted that the Polyclinic Hospital was the only healthcare facility in the Islamabad showing proper data reporting and compliance with hospital waste management rules.
The hospitals found violating the regulations were Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Shifa Medical Center, NORI Hospital, PNS Hafeez, Naval Hosptial, KRL Hospital, Ali Medical Centre, MAROOF International Hospital, SARF Hospital, Get Well Medical Centre, Life Care Hospital, Maryam Hospital, Agha Khan University Hospital, Agha Khan Laboratory collection unit, PAEC General Hospital, Naqaish Hospital, Ali Hospital, CDA Hospital, Islamic International Dental Hospital, Fatima Medical Laboratory, Excel Laboratories, Islamabad Health Complex, Pak Hospital, Khan Medical Centre, Asif Medical Centre, Abbas Medical Centre, Maryam Hospital, Gul Hospital and Maternity Home, Alam Medical Centre, Islamabad Dental Hospital, Federal General Hospital, Shafi Hospital, Begam Jan Hospital, Karachi Hospital, Health Care Medical Center, Rawal Medical & Dental Hospital, Islamabad Medical Complex, Humaira Medical Centre, Shangla Health Clinic, Medicsi, Lodhi Medical Store, Samar Clinic, Asia Diagnostic Centre, Super Lab & Diagnostic Centre, MaxHealth Hospital, My Clinic, Crescent Lab & Diagnostic Centre, South East Hospital, Ch M Hussain Natt Trust Hospital, Vital Diagnostic Centre, Salma & Kafeel Medical Services, Excel Labs, Bio Diagnostic Center, Modern Healthcare Hospital, Federal General Hospital, Shaheen Medical Laboratories, Prime Health Labs, Perfect Diagnostic Center, Khyber Dental Clinic, Jinnah Laboratory, Islamabad Medical Center, Bilquis Memorial Hospital and International Laser Hair Transplant.
