Need for Incinerators at Health Centres

A recent survey on syringe and needle safety has discovered that no stringent measures are taken to ensure that these are incinerated after use and that there is a likelihood of their being picked up by children to play with.

A Ministry of Health Expanded programme on Immunisation (EPI) survey this month sound out that most clinics dispose of used needles by burying them in shallow holes whilst the syringes are in most cases just cleaned and re-used.

EPI Programme Manager, Mrs. 'Mapuseletso Petlane said the survey showed a dangerous tendency because if the used needles are not incinerated, the chances of their being picked up by children were high and that these children were likely to be infected by such diseases as HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B.

The survey found that a lot still needs to be done to educate health workers at the clinic level on the safety of syringes and needles starting with handling, using and their destruction after use.

Mrs. Petlane suggested that each health service area put aside some money to build an incinerator for both the syringes and any other equipment likely to be contaminated by blood.

The survey was conducted randomly in 80 clinics, both government and privately owned, throughout the country.

24 December 2003