Less than 20 per cent of Dhaka's public and private healthcare establishments, including hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres have, so far, been covered by the medical waste management system to protect public health from hazardous medical wastes. The private hospitals, clinics and pathological centres in Dhaka are producing around 400 tonnes of medical waste a day and most of the risky garbage are being disposed of in sewer and open spaces, sources said. The wastes include infectious pathogens in such concentrations that exposure to them can result in disease, the sources said adding that they include blood, body fluids, tissues, and organs, hazardous pharmaceutical and chemical wastes. Besides, sharp needles, blades, syringes, scalpels, saws, broken glass, nails, and other items that can cause cuts or punctures to passers-by are also dumped irresponsibly. Wastes generated in the hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres in the capital are frequently dumped in open spaces, rivers, sewers and roadside bins causing threat to public health, said Anisur Rahman, the executive director of Prism Bangladesh, a private organization working in management of medical wastes. Improper handling of the medical wastes that carry bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungus can expose people to deadly diseases like tetanus, gangrene, hepatitis, HIV and tuberculosis, medical experts said. Health Consumers' Rights Forum on Wednesday arranged a field experience sharing programme on medial waste management and its members discussed building of public awareness regarding the hazards. Directorate of health services conducted a survey in 2005 and found that 15 per cent of medical waste handlers were found positive of hepatitis-B virus. According to the health directorate, there are 437 registered clinics in the capital and 1,971 elsewhere in the country. There are also 4,245 pathology and dental clinics in the country, of which 817 are in Dhaka. The Dhaka City Corporation began the medical waste management system in July 2005 with the help of the private organisation, Prism Bangladesh. A separate dumping area on an acre of land at Matuail was developed for the programme. General Secretary of Consumers Association of Bangladesh, Quazi Faruque, also a member of HCRF was present at the day long programme.