MoH dumps clinical waste on councils

MARANYANE NGWANAAMOTHO
Staff Writer | Tuesday June 28, 2011 00:00

 

Kweneng District Council (KDC) chairman, Motlhophi Leo said that the ministry has informed councils that there is no budget for collection, treatment and incineration of clinical waste this financial year.

'It is worth noting that this has tremendously affected our revenue as 95 percent of waste incinerated is from government health facilities and this will equate to a monthly average loss of over half a million,' he said during the opening of council yesterday.

He said that currently the Gamodubu landfill which is within his district, has two 450 SA incinerators which incinerate around 176 kg of waste per hour. These were intended for clinics only within KDC and Gaborone, he added. 'The incinerators are now overwhelmed by clinical waste from Scottish Livingstone Hospital, Princess Marina Hospital and sometimes also receive waste from Kgatleng District. This has affected the incinerators such that they need regular maintenance as incineration has to be done until 11pm,' he said. On another matter, Leo complained about recycling companies that dump food waste at the landfill, which he says, is against their contract agreements.

'I would like to appeal to you councillors to talk to your electorate on the dangers posed by this. We are working towards intensifying security at the facility to curb such incidents,' he said. 

Meanwhile, the Minister of Health and his assistant, the permanent secretary, as well as director of the Department of Clinical Services could not be reached for comment since they were said to be in meetings.