Annapurna Neuro Hospital Given 7-Day Ultimatum for Waste Management

Kathmandu | The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has given Annapurna Neuro Hospital in Maitighar a 7-day ultimatum to improve its hazardous waste management practices.

A monitoring team, led by the Environment Management Department along with the Health Department and municipal police, inspected the hospital’s waste management system. The team checked how waste is produced, segregated, collected, transported to the collection centre, and treated before its final disposal.

This is the third year that KMC has reviewed the hospital's waste management practices. After the second review, KMC, in coordination with the Health Services Department, provided training to focal persons from hospitals facing issues in waste management. Two representatives from Annapurna Neuro Hospital participated in this training. Although there has been some improvement following the guidelines, the hospital has not fully met its responsibilities.

The hospital has not developed a proper action plan for waste management. Inspections of the emergency ward, operation theatre, general wards, and laboratories revealed inconsistent waste segregation. The colour-coding of waste bins was confusing, and it was unclear which bin should be used for specific types of waste.

 Although a waste treatment system has been installed, there is no clear evidence that the treated waste is entirely risk-free. Additionally, recyclable waste was found wrapped in black plastic, with water leaking from the area. Most concerning, the waste collection centre is located in the underground basement, which is meant for parking.

After these findings, the monitoring team instructed the hospital to prevent hazardous waste from mixing with general waste, remove regular waste from the hazardous waste treatment area, and submit the documents outlining the zoning plan that was presented when the hospital’s operation license was issued.