1,200kg of Daily Medical Waste including Human Placentas puts PIMS’ Disposal System under strain

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s busiest public hospital in capital, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences PIMS is tasked with safely disposing of 1,200 kilograms of hazardous medical waste, including human placentas from nearly 3,000 monthly deliveries. But as waste volumes continue to grow, the hospital’s disposal system is coming under increasing strain, forcing the hospital to outsource part of its daily biohazard waste. The hospital administation said they are struggling to cope with growing volume of medical waste, including human placentas, as its incineration capacity has fallen short of daily requirements. PIMS generates approximately 1,200 kilograms of medical waste every day, while its two incinerators can safely dispose of only 1,000 kilograms, leaving a daily surplus of 200 kilograms that must be sent to an outsourced facility for disposal. PIMS Deputy Executive Director Dr. Aneza Jaleel said the hospital conducts around 3,000 deliveries every month, which makes a large number of human placentas among other waste. She said all placentas are disposed of under strict biohazard safety protocols, but the increasing volume of waste has outpaced the hospital’s in-house disposal capacity. Officials confirmed that the hospital is forced to outsource the disposal of approximately 200 kilograms of medical waste every day to ensure safe handling and prevent any risk to public health. Responding to concerns, PIMS spokesperson maintained that the hospital’s medical waste management system remains fully secure and compliant with safety standards. However, the spokesperson emphasized the urgent need for a shared high-capacity medical waste incinerator outside Islamabad to support major healthcare facilities and address the growing burden of hazardous waste. The situation shows mounting pressure on healthcare infrastructure, raising fresh questions about whether existing medical waste disposal facilities can keep pace with the increasing demands of one o