Employ Only Licensed Environmental Health Practitioners To Manage Waste – EPA Tells Health Facilities

The Environmental Protection Agency has charged health institutions to employ trained environmental health officers in their facilities for proper management of waste.The Ahafo Regional Director of EPA, Dr.

Jackson Adiyie Nyantakyi said Environmental Health is a profession that required formal training Dr.

Nyantakyi said EPA will intensify it regular visit to assess, correct, control and prevent those factors in the environment that could potentially affect the health of the present and future generations negatively.The Ahafo Regional Director of EPA, Dr.

Jackson Adiyie Nyantakyi, said those facilities that were operating below acceptable environmental standards could also be suspended until the right thing is done.Dr.

Nyantakyi, in an interview with the Peace FM's Reporter, Atiewin Mohammed after a day’s workshop for health workers responsible for health care waste management in health care establishments from six Municipalities and Districts from Ahafo Region in Goaso.The workshop, first in the in the series was organised and funded by the EPA as part of its environmental impact assessment in the health sector and health care waste management duties.It was attended by 40 participants from both public and private facilities and aimed at upgrading their knowledge and skills in the area of legal and regulatory framework for health care waste management, impacts of inadequate and safety among others.Dr.

Nyantakyi advised participants to work in an environmentally-friendly manner that is free from any treat to the environment and the public and added that improper health care waste management systems also affect the environment-degradation of environmental quality, soil, water and air pollution.