KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 26

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has stopped collecting waste from four hospitals with effect from Sunday.

The waste collection of Shaheed Memorial Hospital and Nepal National Hospital in Kalanki and Dirghayu Guru Hospital and Om Hospital in Chabahil has been stopped, said KMC landfill site in-charge engineer Sarkardeep Shrestha.

The decision was taken after a monitoring by the KMC of the waste management system of the health facilities was found not complying with the prevailing law. Accordingly, the hospitals have been instructed to present to the Environmental Management Department of the KMC a plan for decontamination of infected waste, documents related to the commitment made for waste management during the registration and operation of the hospital, and the details of the organizations that have collaborated for waste management.

'Decontamination of infected waste is the producer's responsibility. Furthermore, infrastructure and mechanisms should be established for the proper waste management in a hospital,' engineer Shrestha said.

The KMC has been regularly monitoring hospital waste and giving necessary instructions for the past two weeks to make waste management more effective. The Local Government Operation Act, 2074 BS (2017) has authorized the local government to determine and regulate sanitary waste collection, reuse, processing, disposal and about its service fees. In addition, the local government has also been given the right to penalize health institutions that do not manage the medical waste as provided in the prevailing law.