KAPATAGAN, Lanao del Norte - The first-ever Biomedical Waste Treatment Facility in the province, owned and operated by the Provincial Government, is now ready to solve the biomedical waste problems of the six provincial hospitals.
This new facility is an on-site solution for hospital infectious waste microwave treatment machine with refrigerated van located at Kapatagan Provincial Hospital Compound, amounting to P35M and is said to be the 1st local government unit owned biomedical waste facility in Region 10 using microwave technology and second in Mindanao (next to Agusan del Sur).
Notwithstanding the significance of the project in ensuring better waste disposal and sanitation for the province, the construction of the said 100 square meter facility is the provincial government's compliance to the joint DENR-DOH Administrative Order No. 02 Series of 2005 or the Policies and Guidelines on effective and proper handling, collection, transport, treatment, storage, and disposal of health care wastes.
"Since the year 2019, Governor Angging has tasked us to benchmark and make a proposal to convert our medical waste into non-hazardous waste, and now it's finally here," said Jocelyn Lontayao, acting Provincial Resource Management Center head.
Meanwhile, Engr. Raedwulf Geollegue, Chief Provincial Environmental Management Unit said that gives pride that finally, hospitals in the province will no longer dig holes to bury and can properly dispose their wastes to reduce the adverse effects.
Former Provincial Administrator Sittie Aminah Quibranza Dimaporo, expressed her awe at the newly acquired eco-friendly technology.
"Governor Angging went ahead and funded the budget for this project because she saw the need for our hospitals. There were a lot of people involved to make sure that this project was realized, but it was the initiative of our Governor to see that it is here today, shared for the entire province," she said.
The test run and commissioning was led by the Provincial Inspectorate Team and was assisted by MHR Health Care, Co., the supplier of the said facility.
Also included in the package are 24 wheeled trash bins. The machine can accommodate 300 kilos of waste per day at 50 kilos per hour, enough to cater to the infectious wastes of Kolambugan, Kauswagan, Baloi SND, LNPH, and Kapatagan Provincial Hospitals.
During the ribbon-cutting and commissioning of the said facility on Thursday, March 24, all chief of hospitals, department heads, 2nd District Representative Congressman Abdullah 'Bobby' Dimakuta Dimaporo, Vice Governor Christina 'Cristy' Atay, Dr. Cheryl Balane, Chief Regulations, Licensing and Enforcement Division of DOH Northern Mindanao, and Provincial DOH Officer Dr. Jovette Guinal, were present to witness the waste problem solver of the province's major healthcare units. (PIO-LDN)
