COVID-19: NESREA Boss Visits Osun Environment And Sanitation Commissioner, Talks About Disposal Of Medical Wastes

NESREA boss warns on indiscriminate disposal of medical waste by public and private hospitals in the state so as to curtail the spread of Coronavirus epidemic that is now at community transmission level all over the world.
He lauded Governor Oyetola on his proactiveness and sustained fight against the novel virus.

The NESREA team led by its Osun State Coordinator, Mr. Shukwunweizu Muhammed Maike was received by the Commissioner for Environment and Sanitation, Hon Sola Oladepo, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Temitope Oladele and other top members of the Ministry of Environment and Sanitation.

Mr. Shukwunweizu while commending Governor Gboyega Oyetola raised concern over the spike in community transmission of the dreaded coronavirus disease. He urged the state government to sustain the fight; Mr. Shukwunweizu pointed the attention of the government to the indiscriminate dumping of medical waste in various isolation centers across the state, stressing that his visit to the Ejigbo and Redeemer University isolation centers informed his position.

NESREA appealed to the government through the Ministry of Environment not to leave collection of waste from the various medical centers to the PSP operators.  He advised that the Ministry of Environment should deploy its professionalism and ensure the use of incinerator for disposal of medical wastes generated at all health facilities, especially at isolation centers in Osun. Adding that not paying attention to proper management of these wastes could further aggravate the community transmission of coronavirus.

While assuring the government of partnership to contain the spread of coronavirus in the state, Shukwunweizu and his team presented samples of waste bags to the officials of the ministry.

In his reaction, the Commissioner for Environment and Sanitation, Hon. Oladepo thanked the NESREA team for the visit. He assured the visitors that Governor Gboyega Oyetola will continue to do everything possible to keep the State free from coronavirus and any other medical and environmental challenges.

Hon. Oladepo maintained that the Governor of the State of Osun has provided two 15kg/hr and one 45kg/hr incinerators to be deployed strategically for management of medical wastes at Redeemer University ACEGID lab., Ejigbo and Osogbo isolation centers.

He also informed the visitors of the state government’s preparedness to decontaminate all public and private facilities in the state. The Commissioner said Mr. Governor has approved this exercise and it will commence any moment from now. This, according to him, “is extremely necessary at this community transmission stage and especially now that interstate lockdown has been relaxed and schools are about to resume”.