Battling the Coronavirus across Angola
For many years now Addfield has worked side by side with International Aid Agencies, NGO’s and Government Agencies to combat viral outbreaks in many developing countries. Having comprehensive experience delivering solutions across varying scales treating Endemics, and Epidemics, these projects sometimes made the news and others didn’t. In 2020 however the word Pandemic is on everyones lips and it seems you cannot go five minutes without hearing about the Coronavirus once more. As Covid19 continues to make headlines it is important to recognise the work that aid organisations continue to complete. Working across developing countries, often with limited infrastructure to establish facilities to enable the safe disposal of medical waste.
For years now Addfield has been recognised as the name to trust in medical incineration and controlling the health care waste risks. Delivering machines to suit the smallest laboratory to several thousand bed hospitals to safely dispose of harmful waste.
In this instance we were approached by AFG SA, based in Portugal experts in the sale of medical equipment. AFG through their Angola subsidiary Acail Angola asked us to support them on a project for the ministry of health to supply, install and operate 5 Medical waste machines to not only manage the additional waste created through combatting Covid 19 outbreak but also the continuing impact of Malaria and Tuberculosis across 5 field hospitals.
These are:
- NZETO
- HUILA
- CUNENE
- DUNDO
- CABINDA
Coronavirus is not the biggest killer in Angola. Having just under 6,500 confirmed cases as of the middle of October 2020. It is estimated that Malaria is responsible for 12,000 deaths a year placing Angola in the top 10 countries most affected by the disease. As such in addition to supporting in the management of the Coronavirus these incinerators will also prove essential pieces of equipment
In this instance they selected 5 MP100 Medical/Pathological Incinerators for the project. The MP range has proven itself to be a highly reliable solution for many aid agencies and NGO’s for treating waste in remote locations. Being both highly compact whilst also delivering quality and reliable medical waste disposal.
Poverty is a growing problem across Angola with many families reported to subsist from openly dumped garbage which can include medical waste in some regions. This is another benefit of these machines as they will remove the hazardous waste and the health care risks from the ecosystem protecting the environment alongside its inhabitants.
A lot of investment is taking place across Angola to reduce these issues and reduce the numbers of deaths from avoidable diseases such as Malaria and Tuberculosis which are blighting the country and we are proud to be able to play a small but important part in this as we know that our machines will stand the test of time and could be supporting these 5 communities for more than 20 years a fantastic improvement in the quality of life and a great legacy for us in the region.
This project is yet anther success for Addfield not only for helping to support international health but also through being yet another new country to add onto our roster of countries that have invested in one of our solutions. Following the success of this project we are already in negotiations for future projects.
For an interesting insight into the impact that medical waste and especially the increase caused by the Coronavirus has had on the region visit. https://www.dw.com/pt-002/angola-sobreviver-do-lixo-durante-a-pandemia/av-53954252
