Medical Waste Management Facility set up in Baarah

A dedicated medical waste management facility has been established in Haa Alif atoll Baarah Health Centre.

This is the first time that such a facility has been set up in a health centre outside of the capital.

The facility was established through the Eliminating Persistent Organic Pollutants Through Sound Management of Chemicals (POPS) project run by the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy and UNDP with the financial aid of Global Environment Facility (GEF).

An agreement handing over the Baarah Medical Waste Management Facility to the Health Ministry was signed at a ceremony held at the Environment Ministry last Thursday.

The agreement was signed by Environment Minister Thoriq Ibrahim and Health Minister Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim. MP for Baarah constituency Ibrahim Shujau also attended the ceremony.

An agreement was also signed for the handover of an ICP MS machine to Health Ministry.

Environment Ministry said that this machine can be used to test levels of sediments in water and soil, as well as heavy metals in blood such as mercury, cadmium and lead.

The machine also offers information on testing air pollution, which may pose threats to public health.

Under the POPS Project, an Interim Hazard Chemical Waste Storage Facility is also being built in Addu for storing waste including hazardous chemicals.

Additionally, a Hazardous Chemical and Waste Management System is being set up in Raa atoll Vandhoo.