RAWALPINDI: The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Rawalpindi has stepped up field monitoring and inspections of hospitals to ensure the safe disposal of infectious medical waste and compliance with the Punjab Hospital Waste Management Rules 2014.
The campaign is being carried out on the directions of the Director General of the Environment Protection Department and under the supervision of Deputy Director Rawalpindi Saadia Batool.
The field operation was led by Inspectors Inam-ul-Haq and Amanullah, along with Field Assistants Muhammad Faheem, Saeed-ur-Rehman and Anila Kausar. The team has been inspecting hospitals and medical centres across the district.
According to the EPA, more than 300 hospitals and medical centres have been inspected so far. Over 100 hospitals were issued notices for violations of environmental laws and hospital waste management regulations.
Following regular inspections and follow-up visits, more than 90 hospitals have completed corrective measures and brought their operations into compliance with the rules.
The EPA also reported that major public-sector hospitals, including Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology, Pakistan Kidney and Liver Institute, and Benazir Bhutto Hospital, have issued certificates confirming that their infectious medical waste is being properly disposed of in accordance with the Punjab Hospital Waste Management Rules 2014.
The ongoing monitoring and inspection campaign aims to ensure the proper segregation, safe transportation and environmentally sound disposal of medical waste, reducing risks to public health and the environment.
The EPA Rawalpindi said it would continue inspections and follow-up action to ensure compliance with environmental regulations, stressing that safe medical waste management is a shared responsibility for a clean environment and a healthier society.
