Cuttack: In a serious medical administration lapse, personal protective equipment (PPE) kits which were earlier used by medical personnel while treating COVID-19 patients have been thrown in open under Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) area. The medical waste has triggered fear among local residents, a source said.
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Allegedly, CMC authorities have been making tall claims on hygiene and sanitation standards maintained in the area. As against this, used PPE kits are being thrown in open on municipal wastes and garbage at the fall of night in a serious sanitation standard lapse.
“Door to door sanitasation is being carried out during day hours. However, nights speak a volume of CMC’s carelessness. Some used PPE kits were seen at Satichaura dumping yard Saturday night, along with garbage”, some local residents fumed.
Ideally, PPE kits should have been either buried underground or burnt out. The PPE kits have very high chances of spreading COVID-19 infection. After use, the kits should be specially packaged and treated at biomedical waste plants. PPE kits thrown in open could infect rags pickers and municipal cleaning personnel as well, the residents added.
Reacting to this, CMC sanitation officer and Deputy Commissioner Sanjibita Ray said, “Different agencies have been entrusted the work of treating used PPE kits being generated from COVID-10 care centres and hospitals. No used kits are being thrown in open”.
PNN
