Waste at four hospitals poses health risk, legislators say
Waste at four hospitals poses health risk, legislators say
Fitri Wulandari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Legislators were alarmed on Tuesday by a Supreme Audit Agency
(BPK) report that four major state hospitals, one in Bali and
three in Jakarta, have poor waste management systems.
They warned that the lack of proper waste treatment facilities
would pose a health hazard not only to the patients but also to
the local environment.
BPK identified that the four were Fatmawati Hospital,
Persahabatan Pulmonary Hospital, Harapan Kita Heart Hospital --
all in Jakarta, and Sanglah Hospital in Denpasar, Bali.
The BPK report was raised in a hearing between House of
Representatives Commission VII on people's welfare with officials
from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Manpower and
Transmigration, social security company PT Jamsostek, and state-
owned health insurance company Askes.
According to the report, the hospitals dump their waste in the
open, posing health risks because it pollutes the environment and
water sources.
They do not have adequate facilities to control levels of
noise, dust, bacteria and toxic gas.
Legislators insisted that the hospitals should pay better
attention to environmental management.
Legislator Nurdiati Akma from the Reform Faction said she was
worried about the ramifications of the hospitals' neglect on
environmental health.
"The hospital's job is to provide health services and not
expose people to a dangerous environment," Nurdiati said.
She warned that the waste from the hospitals could endanger
people living near the hospitals and therefore should be
addressed immediately.
Sukardi Harun of the United Development Party (PPP) faction
shared the concern. He said that such dumping of waste would not
only cause a health risk but also discourage international
donors.
"Most funding agencies require hospitals to follow proper
waste management procedures. Otherwise, they won't give loans.
The ministry should monitor these hospitals," Sukardi remarked.
Responding to legislators' concerns, Dadi Argadiredja, the
ministry of health's secretary-general said the government would
pay better attention to the problem, but due to financial
constraints, improvements would be made in stages.
Dadi said the hospitals had started to improve their waste
management using their private funds or aid from foreign donors.