Open Medical Waste Dumping at Bidibidi Health Centre Raises Public Safety Concerns

What the report says

Residents in Bidibidi settlement, Yumbe District, are accusing Twajiji Health Centre III of leaving used syringes, broken medicine containers and other medical waste in open areas near the facility, raising fears that children and other community members could be exposed to injuries and infections. The concerns were reported by local residents and community leaders in Twajiji Village, who said the problem affects waste from the maternity, outpatient and pharmacy units.

According to the report from Nile Post, local leaders say they have repeatedly alerted health facility management, but the complaints have not been resolved. Twajiji LC1 chairperson Rasul Ijosiga said children had been seen collecting discarded materials and playing with them. Another resident, Rahman Alamu Mvizaruku, said the centre had previously used waste pits but had shifted to open dumping, and that the issue has persisted for close to two years.

Yumbe District Health Officer Dr George Okoboa Angupale said his office had not yet received a formal report, but he promised to investigate and contact the facility in-charge. The health centre is a government-run facility in Twajiji Village, Bidibidi Parish, Romogi Sub-county, and serves about 3,115 people from 425 households, including refugees supported by UNHCR.

Health guidance generally requires medical waste to be separated, treated and disposed of safely because improper handling can cause needle-stick injuries and spread blood-borne infections. Residents are now calling for urgent intervention and routine inspections to prevent further public health risks.