The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) is set to commence enforcement operation against health facilities that do not dispose of their medical waste properly.
The Managing Director, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, gave the hint when he spoke against the backdrop of the rampaging COVID-19 pandemic and the need to curb the spread of infectious diseases in the State.
He said monitoring activities of the Agency revealed that many private and public health facilities still mix their waste which is potentially hazardous and capable of harming health waste haulers, refuse workers and even the environment.
Gbadegesin stated further that the Authority had put modalities in place to monitor the waste management practices in health facilities to ensure they were in line with international best procedures.
According to him, “The waste produced in the course of healthcare activities carries a higher potential for infection and injury than any other type of waste; inadequate and inappropriate handling of it may have a serious impact on public health and the environment. Hence, appropriate management of hospital waste is thus a crucial component of environmental health protection that must be an integral feature of health care services”,
The General Manager maintained that the Agency is committed to the welfare and protection of healthcare providers, medical waste handlers and the general public, thus necessitating the improvement of waste management services in the healthcare sector.
“The goal is to protect healthcare providers and workers, waste handlers, refuse workers and the general public from potential risks associated with the medical/healthcare waste”, he stated.
He said the Authority had embarked on enforcement campaigns to ensure that medical facilities in the State complied with the directive to shun the act of waste mixing, which posed health hazards to their patients, as well as other residents.
“In order to protect the health seekers, healthcare givers and to curb further spread of the current pandemic disease (COVID 19) amongst other diseases, the management has decided to sanction any healthcare facility found wanting in the separation of medical and domestic waste”, Gbadegesin said.
The LAWMA boss added that the Agency, since 2007, had been collaborating through workshops, seminars and other channels with other stakeholders like the Ministry of Health, Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), and others, to sensitise all healthcare facilities on various steps to properly manage classified wastes.
He, therefore, appealed to residents to observe good environmental practices and personal hygiene at home to prevent the spread of COVID-19, requesting that LAWMA should be contacted via its toll-free line 07080601020 for waste management inquiries.
