Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Embassy of Japan in Nigeria is set to build and install its state-of-the-art medical incinerator facility in Enugu State.
As a result, the embassy officials on Wednesday, visited the state to inspect proposed site for the project.
While inspecting the site at Abakpa Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Enugu East council area, Ms Wakana Deguchi, Coordinator, Grassroots Human Security Project (GGP), said that the embassy was satisfied with the site selected for the project.
Wakana, who did not mention the cost of the project, noted that for proper functioning of the medical incinerator, there should be a clear cut separation of medical waste from household waste.
She also inspected the Embassy’s over four-year-old running 56KVA solar power installation facility at the Poly General Hospital, Asata, Enugu, and commended the running of the facility since January 2021 till date.
Speaking, Mr Udochukwu Egwim, Head of Programmes, South Saharan Social Development Organization (SSDO), said that in 2020 the organisation wrote to the embassy for a grant for 56KVA solar installation in Poly General Hospital.
Egwim, whose SSDO is the implementing partner of the Japanese Grassroots Grant Project, said that the organisation was able to secure the grant under the GGP of the embassy.
“For the past four years since January 2021 the solar power facility is the major power supply source to the hospital serving over 500,000 inhabitants of the Asata area of Enugu metropolis,” he said.
He said that the organisation before applying for the grant for the incinerator facility did a need assessment and consulted various stakeholders – the health ministry, PHC agency and others.
“SSDO observed that the state needed an incinerator to ensure proper disposal of medical waste, which is hazardous to humans and the environment. We applied for the grant and the embassy approved.”
Earlier in a courtesy visit, the state’s Commissioner for Health, Prof. Ikechukwu Obi, appreciated the Embassy of Japan in Nigeria for funding health projects meant to touch thousands of residents of the state.
Obi expressed optimism that the state-of-the-art incinerator would complement the only existing incinerator located at the State Medical Store in Parklane, Enugu.
“It will save government health facilities and other health facilities the periodic cost of transporting medical waste to be disposed at the only existing state-owned incinerator in Parklane,” he said.
The facility, when completed, would serve 26 PHC centres in Enugu East council areas, other nearby PHCs in neighbouring council areas, private health facilities and Federal/State agencies that want to dispose medical wastes.
