The state-of-the-art incinerator being installed at Mpilo Central Hospital is poised to become a game-changer for hazardous waste management in the southern region of the country, according to Engineer Tafadzwa Muguti, Permanent Secretary for Presidential Affairs in the Office of the President and Cabinet.
Eng Muguti spoke during a United Nations Development Program (UNDP) tour with government officials and council representatives, where they reviewed progress on the humanitarian organisation’s projects.
Civil works for the project are nearing completion, at 89%, with installation expected to be finished by September 2024.
The diesel-powered incinerator will boast a capacity of treating at least 250kg of waste per hour, reaching temperatures between 1,000 and 1,200 degrees Celsius.
This marks the second-largest incinerator in the country. A similar one was installed at Sally Mugabe Hospital in Harare under the same project.
Eng. Muguti said the project’s significant social impact extends beyond Mpilo Central Hospital and will benefit the entire province. He highlighted the widespread issue of hazardous waste in landfills across the country, posing a threat to public health and polluting water, air, and the environment.
“Bulawayo is generally performing well in terms of waste management,” he said. “This incinerator has a remarkable capacity to incinerate waste. With its high temperatures, it will be highly effective in treating hazardous waste. Currently, one of the biggest challenges faced by our hospitals and local authorities is the ability to handle hazardous waste.”
“Instead, this hazardous waste ends up in dumpsites, where contaminants seep into water sources and the atmosphere, jeopardizing people’s health. This incinerator provides a solution to this challenge. The project’s benefits extend far beyond the hospital, impacting the entire province. It’s a high-impact project that will significantly improve people’s livelihoods. We urge the UNDP to consider similar projects in other areas of the country struggling with waste management.”
Mpilo Hospital’s Director of Operations, Joel Charamba, expressed his gratitude for UNDP’s support. He called the incinerator project a massive undertaking that would benefit not just the hospital but the entire southern region.
“This is a substantial project,” he said. “This is not your ordinary incinerator. It will handle waste produced not only at the hospital but also from surrounding Bulawayo communities. It even can serve the entire region. These are only two such incinerators in the country, the other being at Sally Mugabe Hospital in Harare. This project is a game-changer for waste management in the country.”
