The House of Representatives has condemned the indiscriminate disposal of waste from healthcare facilities, charging the government at all levels to design and enforce a standard healthcare waste management system.

The House consequently mandated its Committees on Healthcare Services, Health Institutions and Environment to interface with the Chief Medical Directors of University Teaching Hospitals, Medical Directors of Federal Medical Centres and other Health Facilities in Nigeria which produce healthcare waste and other relevant stakeholders.

The stakeholders’ meeting is to “determine possible government and institutional interventions that will promote proper healthcare waste management in Nigeria; and develop and propose a permanent and sustainable solution to the current challenges of healthcare waste management.”

The committee, which was empowered to “issue further directives as deemed expedient in the circumstance to ensure compliance with the resolutions,” is to report back to the House within two weeks for further legislative action.

A member of the House, Gboluga Ikengboju, at the plenary on Wednesday, moved a motion titled ‘Need to Ensure Proper Healthcare Waste Management in Nigeria,’ which was unanimously adopted by the lawmakers.

Ikengboju noted that Healthcare Waste (HCW) constitutes a distinct category of waste, as it contains potentially harmful waste materials and, as such, are of critical concern globally especially in developing countries.

The lawmaker also noted that the inappropriate handling and disposal of healthcare waste poses huge health risks to health workers who may be directly exposed, and to people near health facilities, particularly children and scavengers who may become exposed to infectious wastes and its attendant risk of diseases.

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He said a recent study posits that the current practices adopted for the management of healthcare wastes generated at many healthcare facilities such as teaching hospitals and primary healthcare centres.

Ikengboju said, “The House is worried that there are no sustainable national and institutional framework and monitoring plans and strategies for existing laws, policies and work plans especially at primary healthcare facilities in the country.

“The House is cognisant that one of the most important responsibilities of the government is to protect the lives of citizens and ensure a sustainable environment for future generations.

“The House regrets that if no urgent action is taken to curb the menace and hazardous effect of poor management of medical waste in Nigeria, it may lead to the continued spread of diseases such as Hepatitis and all types of fever, with a serious negative impact on the health profile of most Nigerians.”