The new waste management facility in Juba Teaching Hospital that was inaugurated on Tuesday, August 15, 2023 - Obaj Okuj/Eye Radio

The ministry of Health, the Canadian Embassy in Juba and the World Health Organization have inaugurated a new waste management facility at Juba Teaching Hospital.

The state-of-the-art facility is set to transform waste disposal practices and improve hygiene and sanitation at the public hospital.

The facility will not only handle general waste but will be incinerating dangerous waste materials, including used syringes, needles, empty malaria medication bottles, and other potentially harmful waste.

Other medical wastes that the facility will destroy are expired medications, chemical containers, and other potentially harmful materials.

Dr Anthony Lupai, the Director General of Juba Teaching Hospital, says the facility marks a significant step forward in maintaining the safety and cleanliness of the hospital environment.

“Some people might not know what is an incinerator which is a device intended or managed for destroying hazardous waste that is produced in the hospital so that they don’t become harmful to the people to the environment,” said Dr Anthony Lupai.

“This incinerator is going to help us in all things that are hazardous, they are going to be properly kept and then put in the device to be destroyed in a close area and then hidden down so that those things will not come out and become a problem to the environment.”

The waste management facility is the first of its kind in the entire country.

Dr Lupai says WHO and health partners trained 15 personnel to deal with burning wastes at the facility.

Meanwhile, the National Minister of Health Yolanda Awel Deng calls for proper and regular maintenance of the incinerator.

Speaking during the event, Awel also highlighted the need to sustain the functionality and effectiveness of the waste management facility in the long run.

Awel says the Ministry of Health will continue to address the waste management needs of the Juba Teaching Hospital and contribute to overall public health and safety.

“What we are doing here we are protecting the future generation, the present generation, and the past generation. So, protecting the environment, especially biomedical waste in healthcare facilities is a priority,” said Yolanda.

“The Ministry of Health is quite aware of the problem caused by poor waste management and we are committed to ensuring that all kinds of medical waste are actually taken care of and managed well in all our public health care facilities as well as private health facilities and we will hold everybody accountable.”

For his part, World Health Organization Country representative says the facility will be handling and treatment of hazardous materials.

Fabian Ndenzako says the facility aims to mitigate potential risks associated with their improper disposal.

“This facility can manage a lot of waste generated not only in Juba Teaching Hospital but also from other health facilities,” said Ndenzako.

“What we have seen in many health facilities both public and private the waste is not separated domestic waste and hospital waste they are just put together and this is very dangerous,” he said.

‘We need to work with Juba City Council management, but also with the hospital and the ministry to make sure the waste is well separated and then can help in incinerator them here.”

It will serve as a management site for the waste generated from the hospital and ensure proper disposal and environmental safety

Through adherence to strict guidelines and regulations, the facility will provide a reliable and efficient system for managing such waste, minimizing potential threats to public health and the environment.