EBOLA PREVENTION: LAWMA ISSUES PRECAUTIONARY ADVISORY TO HEALTH FACILITIES, MEDICAL WASTE HANDLERS
The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has issued a precautionary advisory to health facilities and medical waste handlers across the State, following the recent Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak reported in parts of East Africa.
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said that the move was necessary to ensure that health facilities, medical waste handlers, transporters, and treatment operators remained vigilant and fully compliant with established infection prevention and medical waste management protocols.
He stressed that there were currently no confirmed cases of Ebola Virus Disease in Lagos State or anywhere in Nigeria, noting that the advisory was a precautionary measure aimed at strengthening preparedness and reinforcing medical waste management standards.
According to him, medical waste management played a critical role in preventing the spread of infectious diseases and protecting healthcare workers, medical waste handlers, patients, and the wider public.
He said: “Although there is currently no confirmed case of Ebola in Lagos or Nigeria, preparedness remains one of the most effective tools in disease prevention. We are therefore urging all health facilities and licensed medical waste operators to strengthen infection prevention and control measures and ensure strict compliance with approved medical waste management protocols.”
The advisory directed health facilities to reinforce standard infection prevention and control practices, including proper hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment, safe handling of medical specimens, environmental decontamination, and strict segregation of infectious waste at source.
LAWMA also advised medical waste handlers and transporters to adhere strictly to approved collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal procedures for infectious waste, while ensuring the consistent use of appropriate personal protective equipment during operations.
Dr. Gbadegesin noted that the Authority would continue to support preparedness efforts and maintain high standards of medical waste management across the State through ongoing monitoring, compliance activities, and stakeholder engagement.
He urged health institutions to remain alert, review their infection prevention protocols where necessary, and promptly report any suspected public health concerns through appropriate channels.
The LAWMA boss reassured residents that Lagos State remained on high alert and continued to maintain robust surveillance, preparedness, and response mechanisms to safeguard public health.
He added that the Authority would sustain ongoing training, sensitisation, and compliance initiatives to ensure that medical waste management systems remained safe, effective, and responsive to emerging public health challenges.
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