AEPB To Improve Healthcare Waste Management System

In an effort to strengthen waste management system in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), beginning from the Federal Capital City (FCC) and moving systematically to the area councils, the Abuja Environmental Protection Board, (AEPB), through its Department of Solid Waste Management and Sanitation, has moved to prioritise healthcare waste management and build the capacity of waste management workers at healthcare institutions in the FCT.

According to a statement issued by deputy director information of the AEPB, Mrs Janet Peni, the effort is in response to the surging population in the territory.

After a project meeting, the director of AEPB, Engr Osilama Braimah, who is also the project manager, whilst giving a background to the intervention, said they are working hard to ensure that Abuja remains clean.

“Japanese International Cooperation Agency, (JICA), had worked with AEPB on the Integrated Solid Waste Management System project, in the FCT, from 2015 to 2018. Thereafter, AEPB made a request to JICA on the behalf of the FCT Administration, to help develop capacity on health care management, with regards to special wastes generated in hospitals in the territory,” Braimah said.

“JICA Nigeria Office, carried out a data collection survey, (2018-2019), regarding healthcare waste management and its findings showed that the management system is inadequate. The survey especially revealed that although the national guideline for healthcare waste management (2013) and the healthcare waste management policy in FCT (2017) exist, the actual collection, transportation, and final disposal of healthcare waste were not properly implemented based on these guideline and policy, and that waste management workers at healthcare institutions do not have the requisite knowledge and have not received appropriate training,” he said.

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Providing details of the project, the head of Solid Wastes Management Department of AEPB who is also the project coordinator, Mr Ben Enwerem, said the project is to be implemented from September 2022- October 2024 adding that AEPB and the Health and Human Services Secretariat are the counterpart agency of the FCT Administration that will partner.

“The project will ensure that Dispatch of Advisors serve the purpose of verifying the effectiveness and efficiency of directions for improvement which is indicated by the developed plan for proper separation, storage, collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of healthcare waste in the FCC based on the cooperation and collaboration with medical institutions and other relevant healthcare institutions in the FCT, through strengthening the capacity of counterparts. Furthermore, they will contribute to the improvement of healthcare waste management in FCT by disseminating the outputs and results of the Dispatch of Advisors to the Area Councils, ” he said.