While an incinerator doesn’t seem like an
exciting development project, for the community around Kasungu District
Hospital it meant the difference between sickness and health. For years,
Kasungu District Hospital was using a make-shift incinerator to dispose
of used needles, syringes, glass, gloves, and bandages. However, the
incinerator did not function properly and therefore caused damage to
the environment and also a great threat adults and children living,
working and playing around the hospital. By not properly disposing of
the medical equipment, community members were at greater risk for disease.
With immune systems already compromised from malnutrition, this was
a potentially dangerous situation. With funding from USAID, Management
Sciences for Health (MSH) helped Kasungu District Hospital staff construct
the incinerator and trained staff on how to effectively dispose of medical
equipment. The harmful medical waste is now adequately incinerated thereby
reducing the risks of partially burnt materials such as needles and
other hazardous waste lying around to children playing in the area.
The new incinerator reduces the risk of infection while also protecting
the environment.
