Ambrose Okai

Lira City

The construction of the incinerator at Aler Waste Compost Plant in Lira City East Division being undertaken by the Ministry of Health with financial support from the Global Fund has stalled.

Construction of the medical waste incinerator was awarded to Ms Bul-mak Associates and the construction which started on October 10, 2022.

The first phase of the work, which involves the construction of the house for installing the incinerator, was expected to be completed within twelve months. Meanwhile, the installation of the machinery would be done in the second phase.

However, Leonard Otika, the Lira City Environmental Officer, says the project hit a snag and the contractor abandoned the site. ‘’The fact of the matter is that, those German guys also went back. But I know it's about finances, so once the Ministry sorts it out, and then those guys can resume. These are things that we don't control as city council. But I think that the Ministry wanted to add some intervention. There are some additional works that they wanted to add, so those are contractual issues. I think they are still going through those things, and also the installation was incomplete,’’Otika said

Dr. Bernard Otucu, Lira City Health Officer, said delays in commissioning the Giant Incinerator at Aler Waste Compost Plant means they will still grapple with where to dispose solid medical wastes. ‘’Of course, for as long as it has not been commissioned, it means we are still grappling with where to finally dispose it off. For now the central government disposal unit is in Nakasongola, which is quite a distance from us. It means that the cost to the end beneficiary of the facilities is a little bit higher. We therefore think and pray that the giant incinerator be commissioned sooner so that we make it easy for everybody. This is September, we do hope and pray that this should not cross into the New Year in other words,’’ Dr Otucu said.

Dr Moses Ray Ogwang, the DHO of Kole district says that the construction of the incinerator in Aler would render many Health facilities both private and government facilities a bit safer than what they have now. ‘’That incinerator, what I know is that it would serve Lango sub region, where every district would collect waste from health care facilities and take it there for incineration, making our health care facility safer, meaning currently we are disadvantaged, and continuing operating in the current state is not the best. So facilitating the construction of that incinerator would render our health care facilities a little bit safer than what we have now,” Dr Ogwang said.

According to the National Healthcare Waste Management Plan of 2011-2012, Uganda lacks a specific hospital healthcare waste regulation.

Existing legal regulations also don’t ensure that medical institutions, Local Governments Authorities, and central Government units that handle management of healthcare waste warrants a duty of care and take precautionary measures to protect health workers, waste handlers, the public and environment from the adverse effects of poor handling of healthcare wastes.