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Ghaziabad: Norms released for biomedical waste collection patients in home isolation
As more and more Covid-19 patients opt for home isolation in Ghaziabad, the health department, along with the municipal corporation, has chalked out a plan for storage,
As more and more Covid-19 patients opt for home isolation in Ghaziabad, the health department, along with the municipal corporation, has chalked out a plan for storage, collection and disposal of biomedical waste collected from these patients’ homes.
According to official records, the administration till Wednesday afternoon granted permission for home isolation to 99 Covid-19 positive patients, while the screening process is on for 11 more patients. Since July 21, the control room teams have dialled 1,137 different patients for home isolation, while 396 persons, living in vicinities of the patients , were designated as ‘friendly watchers’ to update teams about their neighbours and who may also get in touch with the control room in case of any issues.
“The municipal corporation will be providing a yellow-coloured bag to each patient who is in home isolation. The patient is required to dispose of their masks, gloves, head cap, tissues, used syringes or medicines, if any, in the bag. A special van from the corporation will visit the home of each patient and collect the yellow bag every Sunday. The staff of the vans will be provided addresses of each patient,” said Dr Mithlesh Kumar, the civic body’s city health officer, adding that each of the five zones in the city has been designated two vans.
Meanwhile, biomedical waste of the family members of the patient will be collected by the usual solid waste collection vehicles of the corporation, albeit with some rules. “The family members of the patients are required to cut up the gloves, masks, head cap, etc into two parts and store them in a paper bag for 72 hours. After this, they can dispose of it off by handing over the bag to the normal solid waste collection vehicles which come daily in localities.”
Utsav Sharma, regional officer from UP pollution control board said, “The process for disposal of biomedical waste is in accordance with the guidelines. The corporation has tied up with a biomedical waste collection agency which will collect the waste and dispose of it off in a scientific manner. The patient as well as their family members will have to abide by the health protocols.”
The state government had allowed home isolation on July 20. Since July 21, there have been 810 new positive cases in the district out of which 99 have been permitted home isolation once they fulfilled conditions. The rate of patients in home isolation has been about 12.22% from July 21 to July 28.
“The rate is low at present as there is delay in uploading patient’s data over the portal. If we analyse the data for July 28, the portal showed 83 patients. Out of these, 20 were found to be admitted to hospitals and 11 were discharged. Of the 83 patients, home isolation was allowed for 18 these while nine were those whose mobile phones were not reachable or found switched off,” said an officer from the health department who wished not to be named.
“So, there has been some delay in uploading data at the end of the hospitals (private and government) and we are trying to fix it at the earliest. Once the issue is settled, the figures of patients in home isolation will also go up,” the official quoted above said.
The conditions to be fulfilled for home isolation include an undertaking from the patient, a consulting doctor to declare the patient asymptomatic, round-the-clock availability of a caregiver for the patient, a minimum of two toilets at home, and a separate isolation room. Patients will also have to purchase medical kits equipped with a pulse oximeter, a thermometer, masks and gloves, among others.
“We are trying to approach every patient in order to know if he/she wishes to opt for home isolation or not on the basis of laid down norms. There is some delay in uploading data on the portal and it will be expedited. With home isolation in place, there are only seven active patients lodged at Divya Jyoti Hospital, an L1 category facility. So, we are not closing it down but suspending operations for the time being. However, we have 800 L1 beds ready with us which can be made operational within a day if the need arises,” said Ajay Shankar Pandey, district magistrate.
