The Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board (RSPHCMB) has conducted a training program for primary healthcare workers in the state regarding safe healthcare waste management aimed at ensuring quality healthcare delivery.
The one-day training was organized to train primary healthcare workers in Rivers State on how to safely handle, segregate, store, treat and dispose of healthcare wastes.
Addressing the participants at the event, the Director of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dr. Akagbue Temple, said the effective management of healthcare waste is very essential for safe and quality healthcare delivery.
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According to him, improper handling of healthcare waste could make health care workers, patients, and surrounding communities vulnerable to infections and other environmental dangers. He called for the adoption of responsible waste management procedures in all healthcare facilities.
Temple said this would ensure reduction in the occurrence of infections and ensure public safety.
In addition, participants underwent training sessions in the management of medical waste in rural areas, with facilitators educating them on the best approaches to be taken in waste segregation, collection, storage, treatment and disposal in the face of challenges in managing wastes in rural health institutions.
The training emphasized the need for sustained capacity building, proper infrastructural provision, policy support and coordination in order to strengthen healthcare waste management systems.
Further, facilitators gave an overview of healthcare waste management, highlighting the types of medical waste and the need for proper waste management in order to reduce health risks and environmental pollution.
In line with efforts to strengthen environmental sanitation in primary healthcare facilities, the board provided sprayers to Medical Officers of Health in order to enable Environmental Health Officers to fumigate healthcare facilities in the state.
The participants acquired skills that are essential for improving healthcare waste management, infection control and creation of safe healthcare facilities in Rivers State.
