FCTA to investigate waste management practice in Abuja hospitals

The Federal Capital Territory Administration will investigate the medical waste management practices in all hospital facilities in the Federal Capital Territory.

The Secretary of Federal Capital (FCT) Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, disclosed this during a meeting with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Abuja.

The Secretary said that there is a strong nexus between health and the environment, which is the purview of her office, and stated that JICA’s work in waste management cannot be overemphasised.

Fasawe said that the present Administration has taken a sector-wide approach towards donor investment in the health sub-sector and has since carried out its needs assessment to fill in the gaps.

She noted the need for training of health and environment staff on proper waste management practices.

Fasawe said the success of the Administration in the achievement of its mandate of improved health care delivery for the FCT residents is in the area of increased intake into the FCT Health Insurance Scheme with programmes specifically targeting coverage of pregnant women and people living with the Human Immune Virus (HIV) in the Territory.

She stressed the need for support from JICA not only in the area of environmental development and waste management but also in the health sector while highlighting the need for advocacy in recycling and waste-to-wealth practices; noting that improper waste management poses environmental problems like global warming.

In his remark, the Chief Representative JICA Nigeria Yuzurio Suzumu, said the agency is no stranger to the FCT as the agency has been working with the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEBP) to develop a master plan for proper waste management in the FCT.

He noted that the agency is working with the FCT Water Board on a possible collaboration in water management.

He reaffirmed the agency’s interest in collaborating with the Secretariat, especially in the area of human resource development as the agency receives 60 to 70 trainees annually at the University of Japan to foster the relationship between both countries.