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Biomedical waste mismanagement at state TB centre in Aundh raises safety concerns
The STDC receives highly infectious TB samples from western Maharashtra for laboratory testing, research and analysis
Serious lapses in biomedical waste management at the State Tuberculosis Training and Demonstration Centre (STDC) in Aundh have sparked alarm over potential exposure to drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) pathogens. Containers used to transport samples of DR-TB patients from across Maharashtra are reportedly being dumped in the open on the centre’s terrace, instead of being safely processed and discarded, raising health concerns.
The STDC receives highly infectious TB samples from western Maharashtra for laboratory testing, research and analysis. However, the improper handling and storage of contaminated containers poses a direct threat not only to laboratory employees but also to people working in other facilities housed in the same building.
What makes the situation more alarming is that several other government offices and healthcare facilities are located in the same building, thereby increasing the likelihood of accidental contact and the spread of infection. There are over 14 government offices and the district TB Hospital that operate in the same building, increasing the likelihood of accidental contact and spread of infection, claim activists.
Sharad Shetty, health activist, said, “This is not a small procedural error, but is playing with people’s lives. These containers carry drug-resistant TB pathogens. Leaving them in the open is criminal negligence. If a premier government TB research facility cannot follow basic biomedical waste protocols, how can we expect private hospitals and diagnostic centres to do so? The authorities must act immediately before this turns into a disaster.”.
A senior officer, on request of anonymity, said, “Biomedical waste from the centre is required to be handled as per infection-control and biosafety guidelines, including high-temperature sterilisation and disposal only through authorised treatment facilities. Even minimal environmental exposure can create a high-risk situation, especially with multidrug-resistant TB strains.”
Dr Anirudha Deshpande, head of STDC, said, “The waste containers are made of thermocol and cannot be discarded with the bio-medical waste. The containers cannot be burned as per government rules. We don’t have the autoclave machines that are required to manage these waste containers. We have raised a request with the higher officials for the machine, which is in process.”
Dr Rajratna Waghmare, joint director of health services (TB and leprosy), said, “The waste is likely to be discarded as per the bio-medical waste rules. I will speak with the respective officials and direct them to discard the waste as per the waste management rules.”
