Medical waste disposal worries Gulu officials

HEALTH | WASTE DISPOSAL

Gulu municipal officials are worried that medical wastes produced by private medical facilities pose a systematic danger to the general public.

The municipal principal health Inspector, Richard Anyama Nyandri said they have discovered  that medical waste produced by clinics and other private facilities are being dumped behind corridors or in rubbish pit.

He said this is in breach of acceptable standards of medical waste disposal adding this can lead to infections.

"We are considering entering a Memorandum of Understanding with the private health providers on the management of medical waste, ˮ he said in a statement.

Medical waste include syringes, fluid bags, discarded blood, sharp unwanted microbiological cultures and human tissues, among others.  

Public health facilities in Uganda often use high temperature incinerators to convert the organic waste into ash, gas and heat. In most cases, this is not available to provide providers.