By CESAR JOLITO III

The Negros Occidental provincial government has intensified its program for the safe disposal of infectious waste across government-run district hospitals as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen environmental protection and hospital safety standards in the province.

Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II reported that a total of 7.99 metric tons of infectious waste were recently subjected to disinfection, proper packing and hauling at the Lorenzo Zayco District Hospital in Kabankalan City.

The waste materials came from septic vaults, pathological vaults and the hospital’s designated infectious waste facility.

The Capitol earlier disposed of a significantly larger volume of hazardous hospital waste from December 2025 to February 2026, reaching 243.80 metric tons.

These were collected from the Teresita Lopez Jalandoni Provincial Hospital, Cadiz District Hospital and Lorenzo Zayco District Hospital.

The next phase of the province-wide clean-up operation will cover the Don Salvador Benedicto Memorial District Hospital, where an estimated 73.41 metric tons of infectious waste are scheduled for proper disposal.

Diaz said the operation is being carried out by the team pollution control officers, stressing that the continuous waste management drive is essential in preventing environmental contamination and ensuring safer conditions for patients, healthcare workers and surrounding communities.

He added that the initiative forms part of the provincial government’s broader commitment to health safety and environmental compliance in all government medical facilities./CCJ, WDJ