Malawi’s use of medical-waste incinerators

June 29, 2025 admin Leave a comment medical-waste

1. Government hospitals & public tenders

Kasungu District Hospital (installed ~2023–24)

  • Installed a modern medical-waste incinerator (expected operational early 2024), procured via a public tender awarded to a local contractor (E‑Tech Systems).

  • Funded in part by Global Fund (approx. MWK 453 million), the Deputy Minister of Health emphasized its capacity to serve not just Kasungu, but surrounding facilities too.

Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH, Blantyre) – mid-2024 ●

  • Launched a state‑of‑the‑art incinerator facility, featuring high-temperature combustion and air-pollution controls.

  • Government-led procurement, likely via public tender, integrating equipment, waste containers, transport vehicles, and staff training—reflects a push toward a national medical-waste management strategy (incinerator.cn).

2. International aid & NGO‑supported installations

WaterAid (2023+)

  • Supported Nthondo Health Centre in Ntchisi district by replacing an outdated incinerator with a larger, more efficient unit as part of comprehensive WASH improvements (toilets, placenta pits, autoclave, etc.). Also funded menstrual hygiene management incineration systems (wateraid.org).

World Connect (2020)

  • Through a small grant (~US $740), the Extra Mile Development Foundation installed a 2 m-deep incinerator at Mpamba Health Centre, Nkhatabay.

  • This local clinic-level project marked the first proper incinerator at the facility and significantly reduced hazardous-pit dumping (worldconnect-us.org).

3. Private-sector & global supplier involvement

  • Have reportedly installed 500 kg/h capacity incinerators at major facilities including Kamuzu Central, Queen Elizabeth, Mangochi, and Mzuzu hospitals—with backing from “global funds” (though specific tenders or agreements are not publicly detailed).

  • Broader involvement from suppliers like Inciner8 (working with WHO/UN in other African countries) suggests Malawi may benefit from similar technical partnerships, though direct government projects remain undocumented in open sources (inciner8.com).

4. Gaps identified in rural clinics

  • A 2018–19 study in Ntcheu district noted very limited incineration infrastructure in rural clinics; most relied on rudimentary pits or repurposed local materials (e.g., modified latrine pits).

  • The study recommended scaling low-cost incinerators and centralised waste collection—some of which have since been implemented via NGO or donor support (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov).

Summary of past 5 years (2020–2025)

Institution / Area Type of Incinerator Funding / Support Procurement Method
Kasungu District Hospital Modern hospital incinerator Global Fund, govt tender Public tender via MoH
QECH in Blantyre State-of-the-art facility Govt-led, national strategy Likely public tender
Nthondo Health Centre Medium-sized incinerator WaterAid (NGO) NGO procurement
Mpamba Health Centre Shallow-pit incinerator World Connect small grant NGO/minor project
Major central hospitals High-capacity (500 kg/h) “Global funds”, private company Possibly supplier deals

International agency & NGO support highlights

  • Global Fund: Significant contribution at Kasungu.

  • WaterAid: Infrastructure upgrade include WASH, autoclave, incinerator.

  • World Connect: Grassroots installation in rural clinic.

  • WHO/UN: While not directly cited in Malawi, suppliers associated with WHO programs in Africa underscore potential collaboration.

Challenges & procurement context

  • Public tenders are known for central hospitals like QECH and district hospitals.

  • Service to peripheral MOH clinics still sporadic and often NGO- or donor-initiated.

  • Transparency in tender publishing: Limited public data; many projects reported informally through press or NGO channels.

  • Technical capacity and funding gaps remain a challenge, especially for rural installations and maintenance of high-grade incinerators.

Conclusion

Malawi has made measurable progress over the past five years in deploying medical-waste incinerators—ranging from grassroots NGO efforts in rural clinics to modern installations at major hospitals. Funding has come from Global Fund, WaterAid, World Connect, and “global funds” working with private suppliers. However, transparency in tenders and equitable distribution to remote areas remains limited. Continued collaboration—especially with WHO, World Bank, NGOs, and private-sector suppliers—could further strengthen the country’s medical-waste infrastructure.

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