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Lagos doesn’t wait for Ebola to come knocking.
The Lagos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, has issued a precautionary notice to all hospitals, clinics and medical waste handlers across the state following fresh outbreaks of Ebola virus disease reported in parts of East Africa.
Chief Executive Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin said the directive was not due to any confirmed cases – there are none in Lagos or Nigeria at the moment. It’s about staying ahead.
“Preparedness remains one of the most effective tools in disease prevention,” he warned.
–What LAWMA is telling hospitals to do, now–
1. Strengthen infection control: proper hand hygiene, use of PPE, safe handling of medical specimens and rigorous separation of infectious waste at source.
2. Cleanliness: Environmental decontamination must be strengthened in all facilities.
3. Waste operators on alert: Transporters and treatment operators must follow approved procedures for collection, transport and disposal of infectious waste, always wearing full PPE.
Gbadegesin stressed that medical waste management is the “frontline defense” that protects doctors, nurses, waste handlers, patients and everyone else in between.
LAWMA said it will step up monitoring, compliance checks, training and stakeholder engagement across the state. Health facilities have also been urged to review their protocols and immediately report any suspected cases through official channels.
–Reassurances for Lagosians–
“No confirmed cases of Ebola in Lagos or Nigeria,” repeated Gbadegesin. But he added that Lagos remains on high alert with “robust surveillance, preparedness and response mechanisms” already in place.
The message is simple: there is no reason to panic, but there is every reason to prepare.
