The blood-stained gauze, soiled cotton swabs and other discards from the operating theatres of the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital had been dumped in the Keerikulama area instead of being incinerated, sources said. This had created several health hazards for residents in the vicinity.

Though it is mandatory that As this highly infectious such hospital material had been dumped refuse be incinerated within close to the Yoda Ela, which is the hospital the canal that carries water complex itself from the Nachaduwa tank to there appears Anuradhapura Nuwarawewa, it to be a serious

is feared that with the rains exviolation of these regulaperienced in the area this wations, as witter could get contaminated, the nessed when villagers of Keerikkulama area discarded cotsaid ton swabs, gauze and infected surgical blades collected over three, days were dumped in the Anuradhapura Keerikkulama area on December 2.

As this highly infectious material had been dumped close to the Yoda Ela, which is the canal that carries water from the Nachaduwa tank to Anuradhapura Nuwarawewa, it is feared that with the rains experienced in the area this water could get contaminated, the villagers of Keerikkulama area said.

The Director of the Teaching Hospital Dr. W. M. T. B. Wijeykoon also said immediate action was being taken to deploy a Public Health Inspector (PHI) to visit the site and submit a report. The hospital authorities further stated they had requested an incinerator from the Health Department to destroy the hospital refuse.

Source: Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka