US commissions third medical waste incinerator

Dec 13, 2009 News

Seven Health Centres and one Health Post, situated between the villages of Belladrum to Ithaca – a distance of about 32 miles – now have access to proper disposal of medical waste.

Region 5 officials (from L-R) Regional Chairman Harinarine Baldeo, Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy, Karen L. Williams, Regional Health Officer, Venus Smart and Regional Executive Officer, Floyd Frank. In background is the operator.

To reduce unsafe and inappropriate disposal of injection needles and medical waste in Region Five, Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy, Karen L. Williams, commissioned the third “De Montfort” style incinerator at the Fort Wellington Hospital, West Coast Berbice, on December 8, last.

The project is part of the Guyana Safer Injection Project (GSIP), aimed at preventing the medical transmission of HIV by reducing unsafe and inappropriate injections in Guyana. Regional Chairman, Harinarine Baldeo; Regional Executive Officer, Floyd Frank; Regional Health Officer, Venus Smart; and members of the U.S. Embassy Humanitarian Assistance Programme (HAP) team also participated in the commissioning ceremony.

Williams said that the initiative “supports the safer injection programme,” and will benefit both the “HIV/AIDS and environmental impact programmes.” This third incinerator represents the “cleanest burning to date.”

She pointed out that the Embassy is attempting “to help outlying communities to support themselves instead of having to go use facilities in Georgetown.”

She also acknowledged the invaluable support of the Ministry of Health and inputs of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) in the successful execution of the project.

The project was funded by the U.S. Southern Command’s Oasis Humanitarian Assistance Programme. The Humanitarian Assistance Programme (HAP) is an initiative under the U.S. Embassy to assist Guyana’s communities in the areas of social, economic and medical development.

HAP works to bring together multiple local and international agencies to reach common goals.