Egypt needs 400 clinical waste incinerators

Do you manufacture low-cost robust clinical waste incinerators? Or indeed, do you provide autoclaves or other clinical waste processing technologies?  If so, a ready market is waiting for you in Egypt.

According to the Egyptian Ministry of Health regulations, owners of private clinics are required to come under contract with a government-run hospital to have wastes burnt in its furnace in return for an annual fee. Moreover, a doctor is asked to pay an additional LE five for each kilo of medical waste with a minimum amount of four kilos per week.

Doctors complain however that the waste management system is deficient, since furnaces do not engage collectors which means that doctors are supposed to take the clinic’s refuse by themselves to hospital furnaces. Adding insult to injury they also pay extra fees in the monthly electricity bills for garbage services. “What really happens is that thermal treatment departments in those hospitals are not really keen on fulfilling the process as they should so long as the minimum weekly fee of LE 20 is regularly paid”, Mahmoud told the Egyptian Mail.

Experts say that this country is in need of 400 incinerators at a time when the available number is only 150. In Gharbia governorate, for instance, there are five dilapidated furnaces that cater for the wastes of eleven hospitals and medical centres as well as 12 kidney centres.

Because of the inconvenience of the medical waste management system some doctors say they resort to burning wastes in barrels on the roof-tops of their buildings.

According to Dr Kamal Tamer of the National Research Centre toxic and contagious wastes, whether solid or organic, that are dumped on the street, are a major source of danger. One way of safe disposal of medical waste is burning at temperatures between 900°C and 1200°C. However, he admitted though that in Egypt furnaces work at temperatures not exceeding 500°C, which, he said, does not guarantee total eradication of epidemic risk. He warned against present malpractices where medical waste is usually dealt with as ordinary refuse, thus sold to garbage dealers, sorted and recycled. He urged consumers not to buy cheap plastic products, stuffed teddy bears or pillows that are sometimes made of recycled contaminated medical wastes.

http://213.158.162.45/~egyptian/index.php?action=news&id=28820&title=Toxic%20medical%20waste&goback=%2Egde_3689502_member_218006958

So there you are. The need is evident and, with government support there are many possible ways to demonstrate improved safety, public health improvements, and environmental advantages from efficient treatment of clinical and other wastes.

Go sell!

 

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