Lira hospital grapples with poor waste disposal by visitors

Lira, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Authorities at Lira Regional Referral Hospital (LRRH) have raised concerns over the reckless disposal of waste by members of the public, particularly patient attendants, within the hospital premises.

Despite the presence of strategically placed waste disposal bins, plastic bottles, polythene bags, and food remains are often found scattered in the compound and trenches around the facility.

“You find somebody who just finishes drinking a soda and just throws the plastic bottle in the compound. The kaveras, you find them littered across the board,” said Peter Okello Odeke, the Principal Hospital Administrator. Okello emphasized that waste management is a shared responsibility and urged the community to be more conscious of their surroundings.

He also encouraged members of the public to manage waste at home to prevent illnesses that could land them in the hospital.

While general waste disposal remains a concern, Okello noted that the hospital continues to manage medical waste effectively, even after the termination of support from USAID.

“Before USAID even came, waste in the hospital was being managed. USAID came in to strengthen and fill some of the gaps,” he said. “That’s why we have an incinerator at the hospital, and a second one built by USAID through Green Label. Both are functional.”

However, a visit to the site revealed huge piles of waste packed in polythene bags around the facility, suggesting the hospital may be overwhelmed by the volume of garbage.

Okello said the hospital management is planning to engage Lira City authorities and neighboring districts on improving regional waste management. “USAID had planned to streamline regional waste management through Green Label, but that arrangement is no longer in place,” he explained.

Currently, MS Bul Mark Associates is constructing a regional medical waste incinerator at the Aler waste disposal site in Lira City East Division. The project is worth UGX 3.6 billion—UGX 2 billion for the structure and UGX 1.6 billion for the incinerator equipment.

Once completed, the facility is expected to enhance the safe disposal of hazardous medical waste generated across the Lango Sub-region.

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