By Mustapha Jarju
The Gambia Minister of Health Dr. Ahmed Lamin Samateh speaking after the official opening of the clinical Management treatment center in Farato said The Gambia having a modern treatment Centre is a big plus for the country which most of the countries in the sub-region do not have.
“They throw their clinical wastes at open dump sites endangering the lives of the citizens and the water waves, which the Gambia is putting an end to,” he said.
Minister Samateh added that, if things from the hospital are dumped at the dumpsites where people go to pick some of the items that can be used in the community, those people and the community will be at risk.
“Now that we have a system whereby hospital waste is no longer going to the dumpsite I think that is a big release for everybody in this country and we equally have four (4) refrigerated trucks, three (3) of them are here and the fourth one is to be brought, and those are going around the whole country and pick waste from health facilities”, he stated.
The refrigerated truck is meant to ensure that the clinical waste does not make any odor that may cause any health implications, “the truck is closed when they are transporting the wind is not blowing any particle outside and the waste will be cold until they reach the retreatment center”, he explained.
He continued that, before the coming of the Heath Retreat system, Medical wastes are transported in commercial trucks, and that same trucks are used to carry food items, which the Minister promised, will no more happen in this country.
Samateh added that they have a legacy to move this country forward and they will try to do whatever it takes to ensure fulfilling their dream of delivering to the people of this country, “we want to see the beautiful Gambia, the functional Gambia where everyone can live and have a meaningful life, where the environment is clean and healthy, where the schools and hospitals are good with efficiency in all system, Nation-building is never easy but I think we are on the right direction,” said Minister Samateh.
