Bauchi, 20 December 2018 - The World Health Organization (WHO) has been commended for the donation, installation and hand over of an incinerator – INCiNER-8- to the Bauchi State Ministry of Health. The Executive Chairman, Bauchi State Primary HealthCare Development Agency (EC-BSPHCDA) Mr Ibrahim Gamawa, who received the incinerator on behalf of the Bauchi State Ministry of Health, described WHO as an indispensable partner in the health sector development in the state. 

He explained that the installation of the incinerator will “go a long way to reduce injuries from injection wastes in the State. This incinerator, he added, will no doubt ensure the safety of our health workers and the community in a profound way”. While calling on WHO to provide a similar incinerator on the Northern part of the state to serve the remaining 9 LGAs of Dambam, Gamawa, Giade, Itas Gadau, and Jama’are.   Others include Katagum, Misau, Shira and Zaki to address logistics of transportation of injection wastes to Bayara.

The EC-BSPHCDA while reiterating the commitment of the state to ensure the safety of the incinerator, pledged to communicate the proactive role of WHO in the purchase and installation of the incinerator to state Governor. Pharm Gamawa stated the state will provide a perimeter fence around the incinerator and at the same time engage a security man to protect the equipment.

Speaking earlier during the handover ceremony, Dr Habu Dahiru of WHO Bauchi State office described the handover of the incinerator as another milestone to improve the health of the people of Bauchi State. According to him, “this incinerator is for both routine hospital and campaign waste”. Dr Habu stated that in the recently concluded fractional Inactivated Polio Vaccine campaign, over one million injection waste was generated which can safely be incinerated using this machine. He added that the capacity to incinerate over 400 filled safety boxes within 3 to 4 hours. Dr Habu called on the State to secure the premises of the incinerator within a ten square meter radius fence and provide a dedicated 10 KVA standby generator for powering the incinerator.  

WHO in Nigeria has already trained technical personnel from the State on the properties of the incinerators, operations, and maintenance and safety procedures. 

The incinerator, which is installed in Bayara General Hospital, will serve 11 LGAs in the Southern and central axis of the state namely Alkaleri, Bauchi, Bogoro, Dass, Darazo, Ganjuwa and Kirfi. Others include Ningi, Tafawa Balewa, Toro and Warji. Government and WHO officials witnessed the handover ceremony.