The Gambia, represented by Health Minister, Amadou Lamin Samateh , and World Bank Country Representative to The Gambia have laid the foundation stone for The Gambia’s Clinical Waste Treatment Centre (CWTC) at Farato Farms,in the country’s West Coast Region.
The health clinical waste treatment plant is estimated at 37 million Dalasi. According to the Health Minister, the facility would be capable of treating 300kg of clinical waste per hour with 99.9% disinfection
The Health Ministry supported by the World Bank has procured clinical waste treatment equipment – Ecosteryl 250 series which will be installed at the site, about 30km from Banjul, and about 4km from the town of Brikama, for clinical waste treatment.
The Ministry of Health, said the equipment have been tested to treat waste generated in health care facilities like shafts, non-shafts, blood, body parts, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and in some cases radioactive materials by microwave disinfection. It is electricity operated and reduces waste to at least 20 per cent.
Lamin disclosed that Gambia medical waste disposal has been difficult due to inadequate and insufficient infrastructural facilities for the management and treatment of clinical waste.
Major Gambian health care institutions do not practice safe waste handling storage and disposal method owing to inappropriate infrastructure and even absence of the required knowledge.
Lamin noted that “poor management of health care waste exposes health care workers, waste handlers and the communities to infections, toxic effects and can result in diseases or injuries.
