Hospital Waste Disposal: LHC Summons Health Minister For Jan 23

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Jan, 2020 ) :The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday summoned Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid for January 23 on a petition questioning hospital waste disposal.

LHC Chief Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh passed the orders on a petition filed by Judicial Activism Panel, a public interest litigation firm.

The petitioner's counsel Muhammad Azhar Siddique argued that the provincial health authorities had failed to comply with directions passed by the Apex court about installation of incinerators for disposing of hospital waste.

He further referred to a news story published in a national daily and submitted that incinerators located in Children Hospital Lahore and other areas were out of order.

The waste of four hospital were lying in open which could cause serious environmental hazards, he added.

The counsel termed the step a violation of Articles 14, 9, and 38 of the Constitution and pleaded with the court to issue directions for the immediate waste disposal.

He also sought directions for a viable mechanism of hospital waste disposal through modern devices on permanent basis, besides seeking directions for implimentation of Apex court dirctions.

He also asked the court for seeking details about the number of incinerators working in Punjab and how the hospital waste was being disposed of.

The court after hearing detailed arguments summoned the provincial health minister for Jan 23 while adjouring the further hearing.