By Abbas Nazil
The Kogi State Government has commissioned newly installed healthcare waste incinerators at the Kogi State Specialist Hospital in Lokoja as part of efforts to strengthen infection prevention, environmental sanitation and the safe disposal of hazardous medical waste.
The facilities were installed through a collaboration between the Kogi State Ministry of Health and Famkris Healthcare Initiative, with the intervention aimed at improving healthcare waste management and reducing risks associated with improper disposal.
Commissioning the incinerators on behalf of the Coordinating Commissioner for Health, Dr Abdulazeez Adams Adeiza, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr Maji Enoch, said proper management of healthcare waste was essential to protecting public health and creating safer working environments for healthcare workers and patients.
Maji commended Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for his administration’s efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery and improve safety within health facilities across the state.
He also praised Famkris Healthcare Initiative for supporting the state with the installation of the equipment, describing appropriate healthcare waste management as an important component of public health protection.
The Permanent Secretary explained that incineration provides a controlled method for disposing of appropriate categories of healthcare waste, while warning health facilities against indiscriminate disposal practices.
He said improper handling and disposal of medical waste could expose healthcare workers, patients, surrounding communities and the environment to serious hazards.
Maji therefore directed healthcare facilities with access to the newly installed equipment to ensure that the incinerators were put to effective use and operated in accordance with their intended purpose.
He also urged the facilities to prioritise regular maintenance of the equipment, noting that proper maintenance would improve performance, extend the lifespan of the incinerators and ensure that the intervention provides sustained benefits.
Responding on behalf of the Kogi State Specialist Hospital, the Chief Medical Director, Dr Oluseyi Folagbade, expressed appreciation to the state government for providing the hospital with an incinerator.
Folagbade assured the government that the facility would be put to effective use and properly maintained to serve its intended purpose.
The Team Lead of Famkris Healthcare Initiative, Dr Salamatu Yahaya, also commended the Kogi State Government for providing an enabling environment for the organisation to implement health interventions across the state.
Yahaya disclosed that the installation of the incinerators was implemented under support from the Islamic Development Bank Lives and Livelihoods Fund for the malaria project.
She said the intervention formed part of broader efforts to strengthen healthcare systems, improve infection-control practices and safeguard public health across Kogi State.
