The Hidden Cost of Care: Biomedical Waste in Hospitals

Every hospital admission, no matter how small, generates waste. As India’s healthcare sector grows, so does the urgency to manage biomedical waste responsibly.

In my last week‘s article, I discussed Sunita’s hospitalisation and the subsequent generation of biomedical waste. Her treatment involved intravenous administration of drugs. So a plastic IV set was used. After the procedure was complete, the IV set was discarded in the trash bin. The drugs worked, and she was discharged from the hospital in a couple of days.

However, if she had had further complications and if surgery were to be performed, much more waste would be generated. Sunita is just a representative example. Just like her, whenever any patient is admitted to the hospital for treatment, waste generation begins.

The type and the volume of waste generated depend on the nature of the treatment prescribed by the concerned doctors. However, the quantity of waste also relies on the growth of the healthcare sector.

So, let us first review this sector.

In India, the healthcare sector has become one of the largest sectors, both in terms of revenue and employment. As of FY24, this sector has employed 7.5 million people. In the current year, the CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) is expected to rise to 22.5 per cent, up from 17 per cent in 2022.

The government aims to develop India as a global healthcare hub. The Indian healthcare market, which was valued at US$ 110 billion in FY16, is now projected to reach US$ 638 billion by FY25. India’s public expenditure on healthcare is expected to be 1.9 per cent of GDP in FY26, compared to 2.5 per cent in FY25, as per the Economic Survey 2024-25.

The sector is witnessing unprecedented growth. Private equity and venture capital investments surpassed US$ 1 billion in the first five months of FY24, marking a 220 per cent increase from the previous year.

India benefits from the availability of a large pool of well-trained medical professionals. This sector is anticipated to grow further, creating over 6.3 million additional jobs by 2030.

The government has allocated Rs. 99,858 crore (US$ 11.50 billion) to the healthcare sector in the Union Budget 2025–26. This allocation is meant for the development, maintenance, and enhancement of the country’s healthcare system. It reflects a 9.78 per cent increase from the previous allocation of Rs. 90,958 crore (US$ 10.47 billion) in FY25. To boost the country’s healthcare infrastructure, the Indian government is planning to introduce a credit incentive programme worth Rs 50,000 crores (US$ 6.8 billion).

Several factors are driving this growth, including rising income levels, an aging population, growing health awareness, and changing attitudes toward preventive healthcare.

There is also a significant increase in medical tourism. The lower cost of medical services in India attracts patients from around the world. To promote medical tourism, the government is extending the e-medical visa facility to citizens of 156 countries.

Moreover, India has emerged as a hub for R&D activities for international players due to the relatively low cost of clinical research.

Growing health awareness, precautionary treatments, and improved diagnostics are also leading to increased hospitalisations.

While we, the citizens and the government, should feel proud of the growth and revenue in the healthcare sector, we must not ignore the rising quantity of biomedical waste it generates.

More on this in my next article.

Until then, have a good weekend.

(Source: IBEF-India Brand Equity Foundation)

(The writer is an environmentalist.)