Key Takeaways
- Sindh Healthcare Commission finds needles manually removed and not disposed of in sharps bins.
- Hospital management has formed an IPC Committee but failed to provide formal training or present guidelines.
- Medical waste was not segregated or disposed of according to infection prevention and control guidelines.
The Sindh Healthcare Commission has uncovered serious issues at Valika Hospital, a facility run by the Sindh Employees Social Security Institution (SESSI) in SITE, following an HIV outbreak among 78 children. The commission’s inspection team noted that needles were manually removed from syringes after use and not found in sharps bins, raising concerns about medical waste management practices.
During their visit, the healthcare commission observed that no formal Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) training had been provided to hospital staff, and the hospital failed to present any written IPC guidelines or policies. The team also noted that the working condition of the autoclave could not be verified, and nursing and operation theatre (OT) staff were not available during duty time.
The inspection revealed that medical waste was not being segregated and disposed of according to IPC guidelines. Staff showed poor knowledge about safe medical waste handling, and the private contractor responsible for collecting and disposing of medical waste had also not received proper training. The team found that IPC practices in the operation theatre were not followed properly, indicating a clear lack of coordination between hospital management and nursing staff.
While the hospital management has taken one administrative step by forming an IPC Committee, the commission noted that procurement of colour-coded bins, auto-disable syringes, and implementation of most recommendations had not been fully completed. The medical superintendent and the hospital management team demonstrated awareness, ownership, and a clear commitment to improving systems and ensuring compliance with healthcare standards.
However, the visible influence of staff unionisation and some staff members’ unwillingness to cooperate with corrective measures appeared to undermine the management’s efforts and hinder the effective implementation of improvement initiatives. The Sindh Healthcare Commission has called for immediate action to address these deficiencies and ensure the safety and well-being of patients at Valika Hospital.
The findings highlight the urgent need for better medical waste management practices, proper training of staff, and adherence to infection prevention and control guidelines in healthcare facilities across Pakistan.
