A project to remove and replace asbestos at the Prince Ngu Hospital in Neiafu, Vava’u has been completed.
The government of Tonga has also commissioned a high temperature incinerator for the disposal of healthcare waste at the hospital.
In his opening remarks, Minister of Health, Dr. Siosaia Piukala acknowledged the assistance from the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) through the PacWaste (Pacific Hazardous Waste) Project and the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC) in the removal and replacement of Prince Ngu Hospital asbestos containing roof and the provision of the high temperature incinerator for the disposal of healthcare waste.
The Ministry will receive 3 more high temperature incinerators from the same project to be commissioned at Vaiola Hospital, Niu’eiki Hospital and Niu’ui Hospital.
The PacWaste Project is a four-year project funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by SPREP through MEIDECC to improve regional hazardous waste management across the Pacific. The major component of the €7.85 million project is to take action to improve regional asbestos, healthcare waste and e-waste management across 13 Pacific island countries and territories.
Photo by Government of Tonga