Durban faces medical waste crisis
Two private hospitals have stepped in to remove medical waste of the government clinics that surround them.
HAZARDOUS and unhygienic medical waste continues to pile up at municipal clinics across eThekwini following the city’s alleged failure to renew one of its waste removal contacts.
The consequences are having devastating effects for the city’s poorest. In some instances, babies are not receiving their vital vaccinations nor can the nurses conduct HIV and other blood tests. Women needing contraceptive injections are also being turned away.
The urgency of the situation became clear to local councillors, Heinz de Boer and Shontel Asbury, when they investigated some of the clinics earlier today. The duo rallied the support of two private facilities, The eThekwini Hospital and Heart Centre, as well as the Netcare Umhlanga Hospital, to assist.
An anonymous employee at one of the clinics confirmed that services came to an abrupt halt in July.
“Between September and October, we have had no waste removed nor been provided with new equipment,” said the source.
She also reported that some staff have been forced to store human waste tissue in immunisation fridges while others have opted to store waste in ice cream tubs.
“Things have escalated to a point where two staff members have been put at risk after pricking themselves – opening themselves to HIV or hepatitis B infections,” she said.
According to Asbury, the contract with Compass Waste Services, the company hired by the municipality to render the services, expired in January.
However, the company continued with the waste removal and disposal as well as the provision of new waste containers for the clinic six months after the contract expired, said Asbury.
“They were forced to stop as they have not been paid and could not afford to continue providing services,” she said.
The eThekwini Hospital and Heart Centre have provided the Glen Earle Clinic in Newlands with waste bins and have organised with their waste removal company to assist with the waste at the clinic. The Netcare Umhlanga Hospital has done the same for the La Lucia Clinic, confirmed De Boer.
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