Flood hits bio-medical waste disposal in Kozhikode and Wayanad

KOZHIKODE: Torrential rain has hit the collection of bio-medical waste generated at the government and private hospitals in the districts of Kozhikode and Wayanad.


The vehicles of the Indian Medical Association Goes Eco Friendly (IMAGE), an initiative of IMA, carrying out scientific disposal of medical waste from hospitals and labs has not been able to transport the waste from Kozhikode and Wayanad districts to its Palakkad plant since August 9 due to disruption of vehicular movement after flood water submerged roads in the various districts.

The government and private hospitals have been waiting for the IMAGE for the removal of generated waste accumulated at the respective hospitals after vehicles kept off from the roads after flood like situation occurred due to heavy rain across the state. The IMAGE is engaged in the collection of segregated biomedical waste generating at the hospitals across the state for its disposal. The waste is collected through its existing network across the state.

According to the IMAGE, they have been engaged in the collection of bio-medical waste for its disposal from around 60 government and private hospitals in the two districts of Kozhikode and Wayanad.

Dr C Sreekumar, superintendent of Institute of Maternal and Child hospital situated at Kozhikode Medical College campus said that they have kept the segregated waste at the separate bins. `` the IMAGE in-charge said that they will resume collection of bio-medical waste from August 11 onwards. The collection didn’t occur for the past five days due to disruption in the movement of vehicles following heavy rain,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, P Ajith , IMAGE Wayanad and Kozhikode districts coordinator said that the problem in vehicular movement following floods has resulted in halting of the bio-medical waste collection in the flood hit districts since August 9. "We have resumed bio-waste collection from Kozhikode from today onwards. The collection in Wayanad district will be resumed on August 12 once the existing blockade on the roads clears for the vehicular movement," Ajith said.