ROTUMA will have to wait for its own hospital incinerator, with the Government prioritising five other sites before extending incinerator capacity to the remote island.
Minister for Health Dr Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu told Parliament on Tuesday that Rotuma was among the facilities planned to eventually receive an incinerator, but no specific timeframe was given for its construction.
“The plan is to have all subdivisional hospitals with their own incinerator capability,” Dr Lalabalavu said.
For now, clinical and hazardous waste from Rotuma Hospital is transported to the Biosecurity Authority incinerator on the island for destruction, with the health team providing fuel to Biosecurity to support the process.
General and non-hazardous waste was instead taken to the local community dump.
Opposition MP Joseph Nand pressed the minister for a timeframe on when Rotuma’s incinerator would be built.
Dr Lalabalavu said the Government’s immediate priority was Naboro, Sigatoka, Rakiraki, Taveuni and Kadavu.
“After those facilities are done, then we can move onto Rotuma and other facilities that do not have incinerator capabilities.”
He said completed work at Naboro was awaiting approval for installation of the incinerator unit, while Sigatoka had secured environmental approval and funding for construction and procurement this financial year.
Dr Lalabalavu said Rakiraki remained in the environmental impact assessment phase, while environmental management plans for Taveuni and Kadavu had been approved.
