"There is no information about sterilizations"/ KLSH: Risk of infections

2025-01-07 14:17:00, Aktualitet CNA

"There is no information about sterilizations"/ KLSH: Risk of

The High State Control has published the results of a 3-year audit in the country's hospitals, finding that the risk from their waste is high.

KLSH emphasizes that regional hospitals in the country do not have the proper conditions for waste storage and processing. The waste bags are thrown in the city bins and their transport is carried out by normal carts. Also, many of the warehouses have spaces for birds and rodents, as well as the risk of spreading diseases.

The audit finds that sharp objects are not always put in plastic, but also in cardboard boxes, increasing the risk of leakage and spread of infections. There is no information about their sterilization.

"For the period 2020-2023, the producers of hospital waste (regional hospitals) have not respected the measures for the administration of the generated hospital waste, in terms of source separation of hospital waste, packaging, labeling, storage, treatment, transportation and disposal in the best suitable manner. Referring to the legal basis in force, hospitals are responsible for ensuring that the waste is managed and disposed of in the right way", it is written in the report published by the High Control.

KLSH finds that the Ministry of Health itself does not have a responsible structure for the supervision of processes related to the activity of hospitals in terms of hospital waste. The Ministry, says KLSH does not carry out any standard reporting on waste in INSTAT and it turns out to be the only country in Europe without data.

From the data of the Ministry of Health, for 39 public hospitals, it results that, during the 4 budget years together, about 517.6 million Lek or about 129.4 million Lek/year were spent for the evacuation of hazardous hospital waste with economic operators. A downward trend is evident in terms of the expenses incurred, where during 2023 about 15% less funds were spent than in 2020, which was the year with higher costs.

However, 10% of this effect comes from the reduction of the costs of the "Mother Teresa" QSUT, which from 15.9 million ALL in 2020 has reached about 2.7 million ALL reported expenses for 2023. About 30% of the annual financial value spent on occupies the Trauma Hospital, while the 4 regional hospitals subject to the audit occupy on average about 16% of the total funds every year./ CNA