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(�����������) - Experts from Seychelles and Kenya met to enhance their skills and ability to identify and manage various types of infectious laboratory waste through a week-long training session.

The event, recently held at the Savoy Resort and Spa in the northern part of Mahe, equipped participants with knowledge they will use to train colleagues in their respective institutions.

Attendees included key players in human, animal, and environmental health sectors in their respective countries.

The initiative is part of the European Union's Chemical, Biological, Radiological, or Nuclear (CBRN) and Centres of Excellence Project. The project focuses on building capacity and ensuring preparedness and containment during biological incidents in Eastern and Central Africa.

“We are seeing more and more emerging pathogens, and we are testing more as we develop treatments. With all this comes a build-up of biological waste,” explained Christopher Logue, a UK-based expert facilitating the workshop, during an interview with the press.

“This issue became especially apparent during Covid-19, with surges in cases leading to large volumes of waste. Suddenly, we faced a global challenge of how to dispose of this waste and treat it, so it doesn’t become a further risk,” added Logue.

Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean with an economy reliant on tourism, faces particular vulnerabilities. Logue emphasised the importance of vigilance, noting that the flow of people entering its borders necessitates being “always on guard for the possibility of pathogens coming through.”

The training covered topics such as waste identification and treatment methods to ensure it is no longer hazardous to the population. “Only a small portion of waste from healthcare, plant, or animal institutions is infectious. However, if waste is not segregated at an early stage, all associated waste has the potential to become infectious, placing a greater burden on infrastructure,” said Logue.

As part of the workshop, the participants were divided into four teams to develop worst-case scenarios for their respective countries and formulate strategies to address them. “We saw superb presentations about how they would manage risks, identifying all the necessary steps,” Logue added.

Caroline Jerono, from the Kenya Institute of Primate Research, oversees waste disposal procedures. Jerono told the press that she plans to apply her newly acquired knowledge of waste categorisation and coding through training sessions at her workplace. “Seeing as we all have different roles, I plan to transfer the knowledge I have acquired for the betterment of the institution,” she said.

Dwayne Didon, from the Seychelles Public Health Laboratory, also highlighted the potential danger of laboratory waste. “Waste produced in labs has the potential to become dangerous to people,” said Didon, adding that he will be doing my utmost to pass on what he learnt to his colleagues

This training session represents a step forward in addressing the global challenge of managing infectious waste effectively and safeguarding public health.