Only 23 of 98 hospitals have waste treatment units
Only 23 of 98 hospitals have waste treatment units
JAKARTA (JP): Only 23 of Jakarta's 98 hospitals have waste
treatment systems, according to the city environmental bureau.
The head of the bureau's control division, J.B. Damanik, said
yesterday the 47 state-owned hospitals and private hospitals were
evaluated in the city's pollution control program.
The program checks the quality of waste discharged into
rivers.
"From 47 hospitals only 50 percent of them have standard waste
treatment units," Damanik said.
Last February 10 hospitals were already warned for failure to
build waste treatment plants. Four hospitals -- Fatmawati,
Persahabatan, Ongko Mulyo and Halim Perdanakusuma -- were
punished. Their pipes which discharged waste directly into rivers
were sealed. Six hospitals got written warnings.
"But none of (the 10 hospitals) have reported whether they
have built the waste treatment units or not," Damanik said.
He conceded the bureau was inconsistent in punishing hospitals
which violated rules.
"It's difficult to take stern action against hospitals because
of their social function," Damanik said.
The Ministry of Health issued a 1992 decree requiring all
hospitals to have waste management units. The decree gave
hospitals three years to build the units.
The Governor issued a 1995 decree requiring all industries and
hospitals to treat waste before dumping it into rivers.
Under both decrees the government can impose administrative
sanctions on hospitals.
Hospitals have unofficially objected to building the waste
treatment plants because they are expensive.
Councilor Atje Muljadi from Commission E for Welfare Affairs
said hospitals should not ignore the rules just because of the
cost.
"Hospital waste is very dangerous because it's not only liquid
waste, but also human waste, which is very harmful," Atje said.
The Cikini Hospital spent Rp 700 million (US$297,872) on its
waste treatment plant, which can treat 340 cubic meters of liquid
waste a day.
Atje said state-owned hospitals should lead the way with waste
treatment units. "State-owned hospitals should become good
example for private hospitals," Atje said.
He suggested the Ministry of Health provide more funds for the
waste treatment units.
The government already subsidizes state-owned hospitals for
the treatment plants.
The six hospitals the bureau warned were Gatot Subroto, Pasar
Minggu, Budi Asih, Marinir, Abdi Mulya and the YPK maternity
hospital.
Last week the bureau was criticized for not releasing the full
list of hospitals dumping waste directly into rivers. (ste)