Date: 25/08/2003
Source: Department of Health
Title: Tshabalala-Msimang: Gala dinner at International Healthcare Waste Management Conference
SPEECH BY THE MINISTER OF HEALTH, DR MANTO TSHABALALA-MSIMANG, AT THE GALA DINNER AT THE INTERNATIONAL HEALTH CARE WASTE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE, Sandton Convention Centre, 25 August 2003
Greetings
I would like to express my sincere appreciation for getting this opportunity to address you this evening as you meet here in Johannesburg to look at the challenges of health care waste management.
Waste management, in general, has been a challenge in South Africa. We have seen episodes of waste being dumped in open areas and also landfill sites which have been poorly managed, thus leading to waste being discarded all over the place and creating a hazard to human health.
Land is also becoming a scarce resource to accommodate the proper disposal of waste. Presently in Gauteng province alone, about 1 200 tons of waste are produced every month from all the provincial, private and municipal institutions.
Health Care Waste is another category of waste that is generated in our country, through both public and private health Institutions. As the Department of Health we have an obligation to render health services to the general public and it is in the process of rendering these services that health care waste is generated.
Health Care Waste is considered and classified as hazardous because of the health risk to humans and this poses an extra challenge to its management. Special landfill sites are needed to dispose of this kind of waste.
There have been cases where health care waste has been found in open dumps. This could be attributed to lack of information and awareness about the risk posed by health care waste or sometimes a mere disregard for the law. Poor management of health care waste lead to serious health problems including injuries that can lead to HIV and other infections. Health care waste poses a particular threat to children who may suffer severe health consequences when exposed to health care waste.
In this country, the mostly used method for health care waste disposal is through incineration. It is appreciated that in this province of Gauteng, Minimum Requirements for management of Health Care Risk Waste (HCRW) have been developed. All health care waste incinerators must comply with the requirements set by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT). This is a challenge that the Department of Health needs to address and come up with alternative measures for the disposal of Health Care Waste especially in our rural clinics.
Rural areas are particularly vulnerable to the challenges of poor health care waste management. In some of these areas, it is not possible to have central incineration because of the long distances between health institutions.
An agreement was reached in 2001 between the Health Department and Department of Environmental Affairs on minimum standards for small-scale incinerators that can be utilised in the rural clinics. We have an extensive programme of this nature that is running in the Limpopo Province.
Strategic framework has been developed during the Health Care Waste Indaba, which was held in April 2003, in conjunction with Department of Environmental Affairs. There were many undertakings including the critical need for cooperation between the regions in implementing the set strategic plan. What is now important is to ensure that resources are made available for implementation of these good policies for them to ultimately benefit the general public.
Training of health personnel and waste handlers should be enforced to ensure that Health Care Waste is properly managed. Where Health Care Waste management has been outsourced to private companies, the Department of Health should monitor and have a database of these operations or keep record of the activities.
With the proper management of health care waste, we will be able to improve the working conditions of health personnel. We need to provide more meaningful equipment and training support. We can also reduce costs of health care waste disposal by segregating waste better and by this, protect the health of the public particularly those who may interfere with communal landfill sites.
Health Care Waste can only be effectively managed through the participation of all stakeholders from both the private and public sector. Therefore, we all have to work together to address this challenge.
In conclusion, I would like to congratulate the organizers of this Conference for taking this initiative of addressing Health Care Waste management problems. The National Department of Health fully supports this initiative and we regard it as of critical importance to the health sector.
I hope this Conference will create awareness of the problems and challenges facing Health Care Waste management not only in South Africa but also in SADC and Africa as a whole. I am confident that as health care personnel and experts in Health Care Waste Management, you will come up with appropriate and practical strategies and action plan to address this challenge.
I thank you
Source: Department of Health (http://www.doh.gov.za)
Source: Department of Health
Title: Tshabalala-Msimang: Gala dinner at International Healthcare Waste Management Conference
SPEECH BY THE MINISTER OF HEALTH, DR MANTO TSHABALALA-MSIMANG, AT THE GALA DINNER AT THE INTERNATIONAL HEALTH CARE WASTE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE, Sandton Convention Centre, 25 August 2003
Greetings
I would like to express my sincere appreciation for getting this opportunity to address you this evening as you meet here in Johannesburg to look at the challenges of health care waste management.
Waste management, in general, has been a challenge in South Africa. We have seen episodes of waste being dumped in open areas and also landfill sites which have been poorly managed, thus leading to waste being discarded all over the place and creating a hazard to human health.
Land is also becoming a scarce resource to accommodate the proper disposal of waste. Presently in Gauteng province alone, about 1 200 tons of waste are produced every month from all the provincial, private and municipal institutions.
Health Care Waste is another category of waste that is generated in our country, through both public and private health Institutions. As the Department of Health we have an obligation to render health services to the general public and it is in the process of rendering these services that health care waste is generated.
Health Care Waste is considered and classified as hazardous because of the health risk to humans and this poses an extra challenge to its management. Special landfill sites are needed to dispose of this kind of waste.
There have been cases where health care waste has been found in open dumps. This could be attributed to lack of information and awareness about the risk posed by health care waste or sometimes a mere disregard for the law. Poor management of health care waste lead to serious health problems including injuries that can lead to HIV and other infections. Health care waste poses a particular threat to children who may suffer severe health consequences when exposed to health care waste.
In this country, the mostly used method for health care waste disposal is through incineration. It is appreciated that in this province of Gauteng, Minimum Requirements for management of Health Care Risk Waste (HCRW) have been developed. All health care waste incinerators must comply with the requirements set by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT). This is a challenge that the Department of Health needs to address and come up with alternative measures for the disposal of Health Care Waste especially in our rural clinics.
Rural areas are particularly vulnerable to the challenges of poor health care waste management. In some of these areas, it is not possible to have central incineration because of the long distances between health institutions.
An agreement was reached in 2001 between the Health Department and Department of Environmental Affairs on minimum standards for small-scale incinerators that can be utilised in the rural clinics. We have an extensive programme of this nature that is running in the Limpopo Province.
Strategic framework has been developed during the Health Care Waste Indaba, which was held in April 2003, in conjunction with Department of Environmental Affairs. There were many undertakings including the critical need for cooperation between the regions in implementing the set strategic plan. What is now important is to ensure that resources are made available for implementation of these good policies for them to ultimately benefit the general public.
Training of health personnel and waste handlers should be enforced to ensure that Health Care Waste is properly managed. Where Health Care Waste management has been outsourced to private companies, the Department of Health should monitor and have a database of these operations or keep record of the activities.
With the proper management of health care waste, we will be able to improve the working conditions of health personnel. We need to provide more meaningful equipment and training support. We can also reduce costs of health care waste disposal by segregating waste better and by this, protect the health of the public particularly those who may interfere with communal landfill sites.
Health Care Waste can only be effectively managed through the participation of all stakeholders from both the private and public sector. Therefore, we all have to work together to address this challenge.
In conclusion, I would like to congratulate the organizers of this Conference for taking this initiative of addressing Health Care Waste management problems. The National Department of Health fully supports this initiative and we regard it as of critical importance to the health sector.
I hope this Conference will create awareness of the problems and challenges facing Health Care Waste management not only in South Africa but also in SADC and Africa as a whole. I am confident that as health care personnel and experts in Health Care Waste Management, you will come up with appropriate and practical strategies and action plan to address this challenge.
I thank you
Source: Department of Health (http://www.doh.gov.za)
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