Zoomlion partners Govt to manage Covid-19 vaccination waste in Ashanti Region

Zoomlion Medical Waste team in collaboration with the Public Health Department of the Ministry of Health, School of Hygiene and School of Public Health, Korle-Bu is providing support for proper management of the Covid-19 vaccination waste.

This exercise involves the provision of waste bins, colour coded bin liners, routine collection of waste, transportation with specialised trucks, treatment and disposal of the potentially infectious vaccination waste.

The aim of the exercise is to provide medical waste management services for all vaccination centres across the country during the Covid-19 vaccination exercise second dose of Astra Zeneca. 

Speaking to the media, the Regional Manager of Zoomlion Ghana Limited Ashanti East, Mr Franklin Ofori Akuffo said the exercise is taking place in 180 centres across the region.

Mr Akuffo said so far Zoomlion has provided 360 waste bins made up of 120 litres and 60 litres at each centre comprising of one general bin use in collecting general waste and the bio-medical waste bin purposely for the collecting of residual from Covid-19 vaccination materials.

He said the exercise is to ensure proper management of healthcare waste from all vaccination centres, to reduce the potential spread of infections from used syringes and other infectious waste and to promote environmental health and safety of humans.

On her part, the Principal Nursing Officer in charge of Maternal and Child Health Hospital Centre at Adum Pampaso, Ms Portia Bukari said the centre is expecting to vaccinate 200 people each day and at the time of visit the centre has vaccinated only 15 people.

Ms Bukari said the exercise which commenced today August 31, 2021, is expected to end on September 4, 2021.

She said the numbers on the first day is not encouraging due to lack of education and sensitisation and therefore called on the media to highlight the exercise.

"I think people should psyche their mind towards the side effect after taken the second dose of general body weakness, chronic headache, eating a lot and many others," she stated.

The Deputy Director of Nursing Services in charge of the Kumasi Metropolitan Clinic, Mrs Joana Tawiaa Burgesson commended  Zoomlion for their support after Covid-19 broke out.

The various health facilities that benefited from the waste bins in the Asokwa Municipal are Agogo Hospital SDA Hart,  Asokwa health directorate, Lady Julia Hospital, SDA Hospital Kwadaso and Tiwaa Memorial Hospital.

The rest are Maranatha Hospital, Tafo Government Hospital, Manhyia Government Hospital and Asokore Mampong Health Centre.

The team also toured areas such as KMA Clinic,  Awiam Hospital Limited, Maternal and Child Health Hospital in the Subin Municipal and also Mater Dei Hospital and  Suntreso Government Hospital in Nhyiaso.

 Alex Donkoh, Kasoa