A new ultra-modern incinerator was launched by the Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok.
Nanok said that the incinerator worth Sh18 million will incinerate 12.5 tonnes of hazardous medical waste daily.
The facility will serve public health facilities and private ones at an affordable fee.
Lodwar County Referral hospital Deputy Director Dr Yvonne Musa said the incinerator is one of its kind in Northern Kenya. She added that this will mark the end of burning chambers that were initially used for the disposal of medical waste.
“We aim at protecting the environment as well as protecting the communities from hazardous waste that might cause diseases like Hepatitis B,” said the Deputy Director.
"As a board, we are going to provide guidelines on how the private facilities will burn their wastes. We will try to make it affordable to all private institutions," she added.
Vashra Ali, the chair of the Board, explained that whoever will not comply with the measures will face the law. The new incinerator is safer and more environmentally friendly since it includes smoke-free technology with very limited emissions to the Environment. It uses high-temperature pyrolysis technology to decompose the hazardous waste with an additional chamber for air purification hence making it safe for the patients and medics in the area.
Recently, there have been complaints from the residents of Napetet about the alleged dumping of medical waste by the private sectors situated in residential areas.
"We are going to monitor whoever will continue dumping the medical in our area yet there is an incinerator. Anyone caught doing that will be arrested and will face the law," said Alice Erupe, the Nyumba Kumi chairperson.
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