Medical waste management: HC wants to know progress on measures taken

The High Court today wanted to know what measures have been taken for the management of medical waste across the country.

The court asked the forest and environment secretary to submit a report on this issue to it by July 10.

The secretary has been ordered to describe in the report what steps have been taken to implement section 3 of the Medical Waste Act in order to ensure proper management of medical wastage, Deputy Attorney General Debashish Bhattacharya told The Daily Star.

The HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan came up with order after virtually hearing a writ petition jointly filed by environment expert Dr Anneka Ali and rights organisation Law and Life Foundation, seeking necessary directives to this effect.

During hearing on the petition, petitioners' lawyer Barrister Humayun Kabir Pallob told the HC that a large quantity of medical waste is produced in the country, including Dhaka city, every day but they are not properly disposed of.

Therefore, public health and environment are at high risk, he argued.

The lawyer prayed to the High Court to pass an order on the authorities concerned of the government to take necessary measures to ensure proper management and disposal of the medical waste in line with the Medical Waste Act.