A multimillion-shilling microwave incinerator installed in 2018 in Nakuru has been a game changer in the wake of increased medical waste due to the extra protective measures occasioned by Covid-19.
The incinerator at Nakuru County Teaching and Referral Hospital helps in ensuring a safe disposal of the personal protective equipment and other hazardous waste to save the environment and protect the public from health threats.
Chief public health officer at the hospital Florence Basweti said the Sh90 million healthcare waste management microwave and shredder machine was installed through a collaboration between the county and the national government with a grant from the Belgian government.
She said the hospital used to burn its waste in open pits that would attract human and animal scavengers besides the process being environmentally hazardous.
Basweti added that the machine, which treats over 250kg of waste per hour, has improved the hospital's general cleanliness.
“The hospital would really be struggling with the increased medical waste if it did not have the microwave incinerator and shredder, which is also serving other public and private hospitals in the region,” she said.
Environmentalists and medics have raised concerns about the increased generation of medical waste, including millions of masks used by the public daily.
The experts say increased use of PPE in the management of Covid-19 could lead to secondary environmental catastrophes if not well managed and disposed of.
Medical superintendent Aisha Maina said inadequate and inappropriate handling of healthcare waste may have serious public health consequences such as cancers and a significant impact on the general environment.
She said the machine has helped the biggest referral facility in the region manage PPE disposal from its Covid-19 isolation and treatment facilities.
Maina added that the machine also manages waste from private and learning facilities in the county and has safely handled 1,005 tonnes of medical waste in the last three years.
Plant operator at the facility John Ochieng said all workers are well kitted and trained in waste and machine handling to avert disease transmission and hazardous chemical exposure while at work.
He explained that the emerging microwave technology treats biohazardous waste through shredding and that is later sterilised in sets of heated chambers with temperatures of above 100 degrees.
Ochieng said the clean waste is either disposed of or recycled to make different things, including fencing poles.
-Edited by SKanyara
