Poor medical waste disposals expose risks to Mogadishu residents

The improper disposal of bio-medical waste by health centers, mainly hospitals, primary health centers, community health centers and diagnostic centres poses a health hazard to the general public.

The lack of  common bio-medical waste treatment facilities or medical waste disposal regulations gave the the opportunity to tens of hospitals in Mogadishu to engage in these unethical practices. Poor sanitation standards inside health centers including main hospitals and heedless wastes disposals raises the concern of public health experts, environmentalist and doctors.

According to World Health Organization (WHO)- out of the total amount of waste generated by health-care activities, about 85% are non-hazardous waste.The remaining 15% is considered hazardous material that may be infectious, toxic or radioactive.

Dr Abdullahi Adan Rooble –a young graduate doctor believes even before we talk of disposal, sanitation standards in hospitals is far critical. When you walk inside  one of the main wards in specific hospitals or go inside operations theaters you can easily observe sub standard sanitation and hygiene. Says Abdullahi, “The current practices in hospitals are not only exposing health risks  to patients but also to their own workers. “They do not provide hand gloves, shoes and mask to wear while at work,”  says Abdullahi.

All kinds of waste including infectious waste, pathological waste , syringes, needles, disposable scalpels and blades are exposing risks to the public as well as the environment, says  Abdirashid Artan, a public health and environmental science lecturer at the University of Somalia. “For example solvents used for laboratory preparations, disinfectants, and heavy metals contained in medical devices (e.g. mercury in broken thermometers) can have disastrous effects to the environment and to the public,” he says.

Some hospitals dig small pits in backyards  and bury waste on them but environmentalist Abdirashid Artan argues this is not the right way to approach this issue. “First you need to classify waste material into categories. Indiscriminate disposal of hospital waste  possess serious threat to environment and to human health and requires specific treatment and management prior to its final disposal,” observes Artan.

Lack of health authorities

Mogadishu has suffered lack of effective local government since 1991 and the garbage disposal is a major challenge. But the question of hospital waste management raises not only the public concern but also health industry workers.

“Nobody gives special attention to hospital waste management, as you can see they are disposed at open grounds and alongside with other garbage” say Dr. Abdirzaq Ali, Banaadir Main hospital manager.

Somali Federal Health ministry

The Ministry of health has not also lived up to expectation doing little or none in policy development and implementation regarding general waste management in medical facilities. The general director of the ministry Abdiqani concedes their inability to regulate the standards of hospital waste management. “We cannot single handedly address this issue we need the help from the local government,” says Abdiqani.

Dr Yahye Abdiqadir Shole –a private health center owner argues that the government needs to expand its coverage to all health facilities in the country to ensure waste the issue of waste management is dealt with at national level. “The government needs to reach all the health centers and monitor their practices. Without government intervention and pressure no health center can subscribe to acceptable health waste disposal,” noted Shole.

Dr Abdirzaq Hassan Ali, Banadir General Mother and Child Hospital manager calls on Somali government to at least propose working bio-medial waste management standards. “The government is responsible for safeguarding public health and these wastes can damage the public health if the government cannot regulate hospital waste disposal practices,” says Ali.

Mogadishu in 1970s and 1980s was one of the most clean cities in Africa. Today in Mogadishu waste is chocking drainage systems and littering every corner of he city.

Today Mogadishu needs effective and technical local government and health authority that can take the city to reclaim its classic beauty and sanitation standards.

by:Ahmad Abdihadi Abdullhi