V/R: Zoomlion Praised For Supporting Gov’t With Disposal Of Medical Waste Generated At vaccination Centers
Municipal and Regional Health workers in the Volta Region have expressed their gratitude to Zoomlion Gh. Ltd for taking the initiative to embark on disposal of medical waste at the various vaccination centres in the region.
The exercise is aimed to properly manage the vaccination waste generated from the various vaccination centres per the World Health Organization standards for managing healthcare waste.
Accordingly, with the medical waste management system in place, Ghana stands to benefit from reducing the potential spread of infectious diseases such as HIV, Hepatitis, etc., which may arise from the vaccination.
According to the World Health Organization, the vaccination waste predominantly comprises used needles, syringes, and blood-stained cotton is classified as potentially infectious waste, therefore, the vaccination waste needs to be managed with hazardous waste management protocols.
To achieve this goal, Zoomlion medical waste team is positioning waste bins with colour-coded liners in all vaccination centres across the country, serving as temporary storage containers for segregated waste in which all sharp and other infectious waste would be collected and transported by specialized medical waste trucks deployed across the country.
The collected waste will then be treated at centralized medical waste treatment facilities through sterilization and shredding and then the waste is considered safe for final disposal.
The Medical Waste Team of Zoomlion Ghana Limited is in collaboration with technical experts from the Schools of Hygiene in Ghana to provide medical waste management services to all vaccination centres across the country and so, Zoomlion has activated its regional and district teams of trained personnel to help manage the vaccination waste across the country.
At the Volta region in Kpando, the Director of Communications and Public Affairs at Zoomlion Gh. Ltd, Amma Appiaa Osei-Dua said the exercise is taking place concurrently to assist with the management of medical waste generated from the vaccination centres across the country.
She opined that Zoomlion has deposited waste liner coded bins at all the vaccination centres in which all potentially infectious medical equipment like syringes, needles and bloodstain cotton are dumped for proper disposal.
She explained further that the waste would then be carried to the treatment facility installed at the region for sterilization and finally to the dump or landfilled sites after the team of experts declared it safe for disposal.
She, therefore, cautioned the general public not to let their guards down but stick to the safety protocols like the continued practice of washing of hands, wearing nose masks and using the sanitiser to remain safe and protected against the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.
Amma Osei-Dua was optimistic that after the exercise there would be a reduction of the spread of the pandemic as the waste has been managed appropriately throughout the country.
Again, the Deputy Regional Public Health Director, Volta region, Dr Kwesi Dzokoto applauded Zoomlion Gh. Ltd. for their immense contribution towards the development of waste management of the country.
” one of the essential components of this exercise is appropriate disposal of the non-medical and medical waste equipment, which sometimes is very challenging, but now we have Zoomlion on board who have taken the initiative to adequately dispose of all these equipment and we recommend them for that”, he noted.
He also urged all the frontliners and health workers to partake in the vaccination to ensure their safety and protection.
The Deputy Municipal Health Director at Hohoe, Gift Asempa was also grateful to Zoomlion for such initiative as it makes it easy to dispose of the waste generated at the vaccination centres and providing them with liner bins.
“We appreciate the good works of Zoomlion Gh. Ltd, its partners and the team of experts for exhibiting such patriotism and support in making the vaccination go on smoothly without any infection through the disposal of the waste medical equipment at the centres”, she said.
Different vaccination centres were visited at Kpando, Hohoe and Ho by the trained team of personnel to collect the waste generated and distribute liner bins as well.
By Eric Nii Sackey