By Ezra Musa
Kaduna – The Kaduna Environmental Protection Authority (KEPA) has commenced inspection of hospitals medical waste to improve healthcare management in the state.
Mr Usman Lawal, the KEPA’s Director, Monitoring and Enforcement Compliance made this known to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Kaduna.
Lawal said that so far, only four medical facilities own an incinerator that could burn infectious waste generated by hospitals within the Kaduna city center.
He listed the facilities as the NNPC Medical Centra, National Psychiatric Medical Centre, 44 Army Reference Hospital and St. Gerald’s Hospitals.
Lawal said the poor management of medical waste potentially exposes healthcare workers, waste handlers, patients and the community to infectious diseases.
“It is essential that all medical waste materials are segregated at the point of generation, appropriately treated and disposed safely,” Lawal said.
According to him, KEPA has engaged the services of some private medical waste disposal companies to ensure evacuation of medical waste from hospitals across the state.
“We are going to ensure that the private companies engaged are properly monitored to move the refuse to the various incinerators located in the state.’’
He said that the agency would continue to sensitise and inspect more hospital facilities to ensure compliance to safety standards.
(NAN)