This afternoon in Port-Louis, a Memorandum of Understanding for setting up the National Healthcare Waste Disposal Facility to implement the Sustainable Low and non-Chemical Development in SIDS (ISLANDS) project was signed in the presence of Dr. Kailesh Jagutpal, the Minister of Health and Wellness.
The project head is the Ministry of Environment, Solid Waste Management, and Climate Change, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Mauritius Partners With UNDP for Setting Up a National Healthcare Waste Disposal Facility
In Health Minister Jagutpal's address, he informed that one of the project's key components is a feasibility study for setting up a centralized treatment facility for the treatment of healthcare wastes.
He added that the facility's construction would subsequently be considered based on the recommendations of the feasibility report, which would be prepared under the ISLANDS project.
The Minister indicated that the Global Environment Facility is financing the project for 4.05 million US dollars.
He said out of the 4.05 million US Dollars in funding grant by the Global Environment Facility, 1.39 million US Dollars has been secured for the Ministry of Health.
The Minister underlined that the Ministry is also providing a co-financing of 925,000 US Dollars in kind and cash contribution towards the project.
Minister Jagutpal further dwelt on the project activities spanning over the five years.
The activities comprise: conducting an environment and social impact assessment, carrying out a feasibility study for a centralized treatment facility for healthcare waste and a management plan; developing policies and regulations to ensure the long-term sustainability of the project;
We are providing gender-responsive training to staff on improved waste management practices and providing technical assistance and capacity building to assist the construction and operation of the treatment facility.
Dr. Kailesh Jagutpal emphasized that the project's activities will impart gender-responsive training to Health Care facility staff on improved waste management practices.
He added that under this project, the Network Services system of Mauritius would be improved to include a user-friendly interface such that companies or individuals seeking approval from the Dangerous Chemicals Board can input the imported types and quantities of chemicals.
Also present is Ms. Amanda Serumaga, the UNDP Resident Representative for Mauritius and Seychelles.
She said the UNDP seeks to contribute to building a strong and sustainable health system and accelerating progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals.
She further emphasized that the UNDP remains at the forefront in supporting countries to deal with mounting healthcare issues.
Ms. Serumaga stated that for Mauritius, the project design is to save human health and the environment from the detrimental effects of waste, considering the country's specificities.
