As part of efforts to improve staff capacity, the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has trained its staff on improved medical waste operations and management.
In his address at the training programme held recently at the Authority’s Headquarters, Ijora-Olopa, Lagos, the Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin reaffirmed the Agency’s commitment to staff training, essential for operational efficiency compliance with regulations, safety and sustainability, ultimately benefiting both the organisation and the environment.
He emphasised that developing the capacity of staff ensures the long-term sustainability of waste management programmes, reducing the negative impact of waste on the environment and public health.
He said: “LAWMA as an agency is saddled with the responsibility of effective management of waste in the state. With our professionalism and efficiency, the Authority has become a role model, other states seek our expertise to set up their waste management system. This feat cannot be achieved without the training and retraining of our staff”.
“Therefore, today’s training is a testament to our commitment to capacity development and it will cut across every other LAWMA operational department and units. I implore you all to pay full attention and apply what you have learnt in your area of primary assignments”, he added.
The Head of LAWMA’s Medical Waste Unit, Mrs. Mojisola Adeleye, who coordinated the training, said the exercise was necessary, to keep officers abreast of the latest developments in the healthcare waste management sector, enlightening them on the steps in managing healthcare waste and prepare them for the responsibilities ahead.
She stated further that the environmental impact of poor medical waste disposal was deadly, hence the need for proper regulation and monitoring of medical facilities across the state, adding that the unit worked in collaboration with the Health Facilities Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA), for effective results.
During the training session, Heads of Each District took the junior officers through topics such as the health care unit standard of operations, roles of HEFAMAA in medical waste management, numbers of medical facilities in Lagos State, staff responsibilities and medical PSP activities, among others.