HCM City hospitals that fail to treat waste water properly afterDecember 26 will have their licences revoked, a health official said at ameeting on March 29.
Almost 20,000cu.m of hospitalwaste water is dumped into the city sewerage network every day, most ofit untreated, a study by the Department of Natural Resources andEnvironment found late last year.
But treating thewaste water thoroughly is one of the six major tasks the government hasset itself for this year, the director of the Department of Health, PhamViet Thanh, told representatives from districts, health centres, andhospitals at the meeting.
Of the nearly 70 State-owned hospitals in the City, only 20 have standard waste water-treatment facilities.
The rest have systems installed 10 to 15 years ago that are now downgraded and overloaded, he said.
However, several hospitals face hurdles in setting up facilities to treat waste water.
Thu Duc Hospital is worried it cannot meet the December deadline because of a lack of funds.
The district 8 Preventive Medicine Centre cannot undertake anyconstruction since its premises have been designated for appropriationfor a public project.
Phu Nhuan Hospital,which has no waste water treatment system and discharges it into theenvironment, is planning to move but has yet to find a suitable site.
Hospital managers said there were several difficultiesinvolved in setting up treatment facilities such as lack of space forthem and selecting appropriate technologies.
Liquidwaste from surgery, blood, and other body fluids, and waste water fromwashing patients and medical staff pose a serious risk to theenvironment and could spread diseases.
Officialsfrom the Departments of Health and Natural Resources and Environmenttold the meeting that a comprehensive inspection of hospital waste watertreatment systems will be carried out early next month. /.
Almost 20,000cu.m of hospitalwaste water is dumped into the city sewerage network every day, most ofit untreated, a study by the Department of Natural Resources andEnvironment found late last year.
But treating thewaste water thoroughly is one of the six major tasks the government hasset itself for this year, the director of the Department of Health, PhamViet Thanh, told representatives from districts, health centres, andhospitals at the meeting.
Of the nearly 70 State-owned hospitals in the City, only 20 have standard waste water-treatment facilities.
The rest have systems installed 10 to 15 years ago that are now downgraded and overloaded, he said.
However, several hospitals face hurdles in setting up facilities to treat waste water.
Thu Duc Hospital is worried it cannot meet the December deadline because of a lack of funds.
The district 8 Preventive Medicine Centre cannot undertake anyconstruction since its premises have been designated for appropriationfor a public project.
Phu Nhuan Hospital,which has no waste water treatment system and discharges it into theenvironment, is planning to move but has yet to find a suitable site.
Hospital managers said there were several difficultiesinvolved in setting up treatment facilities such as lack of space forthem and selecting appropriate technologies.
Liquidwaste from surgery, blood, and other body fluids, and waste water fromwashing patients and medical staff pose a serious risk to theenvironment and could spread diseases.
Officialsfrom the Departments of Health and Natural Resources and Environmenttold the meeting that a comprehensive inspection of hospital waste watertreatment systems will be carried out early next month. /.
