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Ivan Zhakata-Herald Correspondent

Health Professions Authority (HPA) Zimbabwe has called for proper disposal of medical waste as Harare is struggling with pollution caused by illegal dumping due to failure by the council to collect waste.

This comes after one of the country’s largest pharmaceutical companies, Varichem was fined $800 000 for dumping medical waste at an open space opposite its premises in the capital.

HPA secretary general and chief executive officer Mr Shepherd Humure and his team yesterday visited Varichem to assess their dumping procedure and get an understanding of how the alleged medical waste was dumped on an open space.

Speaking after the inspection, Mr Humure said all medical institutions should follow the laid down regulations of dumping medical waste.

“Medical waste needs to be properly disposed of, particularly the rejects and we are urging all health institutions, pharmacies and manufacturing health institutions to control their medical disposals in terms of the regulations of the Health Professions Authority,” he said.

“We have got an inspection manual which is very clear in that regard. All medical waste should be disposed of, and it is not only disposal which we are looking at, we also need proof that the medical waste is being disposed of in the required manner in terms of our regulation.

“There should be a contract which a health institution should have, of a refuse collection company that is collecting its medical waste. Medical waste should be disposed of through incineration and most health institutions do not have incineration facilities as they are mostly found in hospitals like Parirenyatwa Group of Hospital and Sally Mugabe Hospital.”

Mr Humure said health institutions that do not have disposal facilities should have a contractor for their medical waste disposal.

“When that contract is being operationalised to collect medical waste, there should be a book to record when the waste was picked up and also issuance of a receipt of that collector. We look at that as evidence in terms of the contract and we also look at the records,” he said.

Varichem managing director Mr Lloyd Chapanga said they dispose of their waste according to the laid down regulation for the safety of their staff and the public at large.

“We have a waste collection company that collects all our waste for disposal. 

“When disposing our medical waste, we follow all the outlined regulations both locally and internationally,” he said.