By: Dawda M Jallow
National Commission for UNESCO of The Gambia held an advocacy training on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, at NANA Hall to educate policymakers, school teachers, coordinators, and other stakeholders on best practices for managing medical and E-waste.
Momodou Kanji, representing the Ministry of Environment, defined biomedical or healthcare waste as the total waste generated by healthcare facilities.
He added that this includes sharps, non-sharps, blood, body parts, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and radioactive materials.
He emphasized that “70 to 90 percent of medical waste is similar to domestic waste, while 10 to 25 percent is infectious or hazardous.
Mr. Lamin Jarjue, Senior Programme Officer at the National Commission for UNESCO, stressed the importance of raising awareness among stakeholders to promote effective policies and practices for managing the environment and protecting human health.
He highlighted the rapid growth of electronic waste (E-waste) worldwide and the need for health protection measures in national environmental legislation.
In his remarks on behalf of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Ousman Bah urged educators to share their knowledge with their communities and train young people to effectively manage the environment for better health outcomes.
“Through this training, we can effectively manage our surrounding environment and ensure a good quality of life,” he added.
The training aimed to address the multifaceted sources of E-waste in The Gambia, including local generation, importation of used electronics, and informal recycling practices. It also emphasized the importance of monitoring and improving informal recycling sites to protect public health and the environment.
Overall, the workshop provided a platform for stakeholders to collaborate on finding sustainable solutions for managing medical and E-waste for a healthier and cleaner environment.
