GOOD BYE TO SCRAP

■ Government Hospitals (GGHs), district and regional hospitals, community health centers, and primary health centers will be able to independently identify and auction off obsoletematerials

■ Committees have been formed at various hospital levels to oversee the identification and disposal process

■ Scrap disposal exceeds Rs.25,000, hospitals must conduct auctions through the government's 'e-procurement' portal or sell the materials through the Metal Scrap Trading Corp

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

In  a bid to clear accumulated scrap material in the hospital sector, the Andhra Pradesh Government has issued orders to dispose the scrap within 45 days. The accumulated, unusable medical equipment and scrap materials have been taking up valuable space. The state's Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Satyakumar Yadav, has approved new guidelines for the disposal of non-functional and obsolete items, enabling hospitals to create a more efficient and hygienic environment.

Under the existing regulations, biomedical engineers from APMSIDC (Andhra Pradesh Medical Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation) were responsible for identifying waste and preparing reports for disposal. However, due to a shortage of such engineers, hospitals faced difficulties in clearing their accumulated scrap. Furthermore, the requirement to coordinate with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for disposal proved to be a bottleneck, leading to a build-up of waste across state-run medical facilities.

To tackle these challenges, the government has introduced amendments to streamline the disposal process, giving hospitals more autonomy in managing waste. Under the new policy, all General Government Hospitals (GGHs), district and regional hospitals, community health centers, and primary health centers will be able to independently identify and auction off obsolete materials. Committees have been formed at various hospital levels to oversee the identification and disposal process.

Hospitals are now required to dispose of all existing accumulated scrap within 45 days, with an annual disposal exercise mandated thereafter. The revenue generated from the sale of obsolete materials will be deposited in the Health and Family Welfare Department's account. The minister has also directed officials to assess the total value of accumulated waste across hospitals.

For cases where the revenue from scrap disposal exceeds Rs.25,000, hospitals must conduct auctions through the government's 'e-procurement' portal or sell the materials through the Metal Scrap Trading Corporation, a central government entity. 

These measures are expected to free up space in government hospitals, improve sanitation, and ensure efficient use of hospital resources, ultimately enhancing the quality of healthcare services provided to the public.