Ho medical waste treatment plant to safeguard public health - Dep. health minister

The Deputy Minister of Health, Hon. Mahama Asei Seini has indicated that the Ho medical waste treatment facility will solve public health concerns in the Volta region.

Speaking in an address at the commissioning of the first medical waste treatment facility in the region, the Minister disclosed that "concerns regarding how medical waste materials are treated such as incineration, disposal at landfill sites, sorting by waste scavengers, re-using of medical waste among others pose health hazards to the public hence the new technology deployed to treat medical waste will safeguard public health".

He said the facility is equipped with state-of-the-art Microwave Treatment Equipment (Ecosteryl) that have a daily treatment capacity of 5,000Kg (5 tons) of hazardous waste.

He added that the facility will create 200 direct and indirect jobs for residents within the region.

An Executive Director of the Jospong Group of Companies (Environment and Sanitation Cluster), Mr. Said Haidar in a statement commended President Akufo-Addo for his support in creating the enabling environment for the private sector to thrive.

He said the Jospong Group has been committed to providing public health services as evidenced in the larvae source management where it helped control the mosquito population, and COVID-19 disinfection among others which are public health services.

"This medical waste treatment facility being commissioned is environmentally friendly as it uses unique technology which is a Microwave Treatment Equipment that will treat 5,000Kg of hazardous waste. This facility will minimize the health risks of improper medical waste treatment", he emphasized.

The Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa in his address explained that President Akufo-Addo in his State of the Nation Address mentioned that Government will provide 16 Integrated Recycling and Composting Plants (IRECOPs) and 14 medical waste treatment facilities across the region.

"This facility will serve the health facilities in the regions and its environs and provide jobs for residents. It will also help minimize health risks and attain Sustainable Development Goals on health and wellbeing".

The Paramount Queen Mother of Akrofu Traditional Area, Mamaga Akua Sebea Nyabor VII expressed her gratitude to the Jospong Group of Companies and President Akufo-Addo for establishing the facility in her community.

She appealed to the government to construct the road leading to the facility to help facilitate its patronage.