Q: Every day tonnes of hospital wastes are produced, which are not disposed properly. What kind of diseases can be caused by this waste? What types of diseases are prevalent among the rag pickers dealing with such waste?

A:In the larger cities, hospital waste is now disposed off in a sanitary way as required by the law. There may be some exceptions but they will be only in very small towns and hospitals. If not properly disposed off, hospital waste can spread many diseases such as tuberculosis. There also is a special risk for rag-pickers who may get injured by an improperly disposed off needle or sharp instrument. This can put the person at risk for HIV and other infections.