In the past we've told you about the dozens of boxes of vaccines, medications, and other pharmaceuticals that inevitably expire before they are even distributed and used within hospitals. The Minister of Health and other Technical advisors had assured us that the ministry follows a strict protocol on disposing these items, to ensure that no harm is caused to the environment or others. So this morning, there was some alarm when we received reports of as many as 9 containers of expired medical supplies and pharmaceuticals being burnt at the mile 24 dumpsite on the George Price highway.
However, according to a release issued by the Ministry of Health and Wellness this Afternoon, they consulted with the Department of Environment, the Ministry of Finance and the Belize Solid Waste Management and Authority before the disposal and destruction of the expired pharmaceutical and medical supplies. These belonged to the Ministry and Central Medical Stores for the period of 2010-2019. The transportation and disposal of those items began today, where the expired products were taken to the Belize Solid Waste Management's facility located at mile 24, where they were disposed of in hazardous waste cells located at the facility. The ministry stated that they are committed to ensuring the safety of the public by following all the necessary disposal of waste guidelines provided by DOE.
