Health minister Satya Kumar Yadav has directed government hospitals to dispose of all unused medical equipment and waste materials within 45 days.
To facilitate this, the minister has introduced relaxations and amendments to existing disposal guidelines. Committees will be set up at hospitals to identify and assess waste for auction. If the expected income exceeds Rs 25,000, the auction will be conducted through the e-auction portal or sold via the Metal Scrap Trading Corporation.
The minister stated that this initiative would clear hospitals of waste and create more space for healthcare services.
Previously, biomedical engineers from the AP Medical Services and Infrastructure Development Corporation identified waste for disposal. However, a shortage of engineers and a lack of support from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research led to years of accumulation in hospitals. Deccan Chronicle