Famkris Donates Medical Waste Incinerator To Kogi Specialist Hospital

Famkris Healthcare Initiative has donated and handed over a new medical waste incinerator to the Kogi State Ministry of Health as part of efforts to strengthen healthcare waste management and improve infection-control practices in the state.

The facility was inaugurated at the Kogi State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, at the weekend.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Team Lead of Famkris Healthcare Initiative, Dr Salamatu Yahaya, commended the Kogi State Government for creating an enabling environment for the organisation to implement health interventions across the state.

Yahaya said the installation of the incinerator was implemented under the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Lives and Livelihoods Fund (LLF) support to the malaria project.

She explained that the intervention was part of broader efforts to strengthen the healthcare system, improve infection-control practices and safeguard public health.

Commissioning the facility on behalf of the Coordinating Commissioner for Health, Dr Abdulazeez Adams Adeiza, the permanent secretary of the ministry, Mr Maji Enoch, commended Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for his administration’s efforts to improve healthcare delivery and promote safer working environments for health workers and patients.

Maji also appreciated Famkris Healthcare Initiative for supporting the state with the facility, describing proper healthcare waste management as an essential component of public health protection.

He explained that incineration provides a controlled method of disposing of appropriate categories of healthcare waste, while warning health facilities against indiscriminate disposal of medical waste.

The permanent secretary charged all healthcare facilitators with access to the equipment to put it to effective use, stressing that improper disposal of medical waste could expose health workers, patients, surrounding communities and the environment to serious health hazards.

He further urged the hospital management to ensure regular maintenance of the facility, noting that proper maintenance would enhance its performance, prolong its lifespan and ensure sustained benefits.

Responding on behalf of the Kogi State Specialist Hospital, the Chief Medical Director, Dr Oluseyi Folagbade, expressed appreciation to Famkris for providing the hospital with the incinerator.

Folagbade assured that the facility would be put to effective use and properly maintained in line with its intended purpose.

Also speaking, Famkris Health Waste Manager, Bonaventure Okeye, urged the management of the specialist hospital to ensure proper utilisation and maintenance of the equipment.

Okeye disclosed that Famkris had also trained health personnel across the 21 local government areas of the state on the proper use of the incinerator and healthcare waste management.

Medical waste incinerators use high-temperature thermal combustion to safely destroy appropriate categories of hazardous, infectious and anatomical waste generated by healthcare facilities.

The intervention is therefore expected to support safer disposal practices and reduce the risks associated with indiscriminate handling and disposal of healthcare waste in the state.