KARACHI: A follow-up inspection conducted by the Sindh Healthcare Commission (SHCC) at the Kulsoom Bai Valika Hospital has revealed alarming non-compliance with vital infection prevention and control (IPC) standards. Despite previous directives, the hospital has failed to implement the majority of the commission’s safety recommendations. During the audit, the inspection team noted severe negligence regarding medical waste management, highlighting that used needles were not properly disposed of in sharp waste bins, and the hospital staff failed to provide a satisfactory explanation or methodology for their disposal protocols. Furthermore, a critical lack of training was observed among the hospital personnel and the private waste-management contractor’s staff regarding medical waste disposal and infection prevention.
Administratively, the management failed to produce any written infection control policies, operational guidelines, or verification regarding the working condition of their autoclave sterilization machines. This operational negligence extended to staff attendance, as key personnel, including Operating Theater (OT) and nursing staff, were found absent during the inspection, leading to compromised infection control protocols in critical care areas. While the SHCC acknowledged that Valika Hospital’s management has made some recent efforts—such as procuring color-coded waste bins and auto-disable syringes—the overall implementation of safety recommendations remains highly inadequate. Consequently, the SHCC spokesperson issued a stern warning, stating that if immediate corrective actions are not taken to fully comply with healthcare guidelines, the commission will initiate strict legal action, which may include sealing multiple departments of the hospital.
