Jean George Bikanda is not an ordinary cleaner. His dedication to cleaning and managing hospital waste across Cameroon has earned him the nickname Le Doyen (Dean in English), at Laquintini Hospital in Douala, where he now works.
For 34 years, he has made hospital waste his business, Laquintini Hospital wrote in a statement acknowledging his contributions to the hospital’s spark.
He joined Laquintini in 2019, bringing in a wealth of experience from other hospitals where he had worked.
Mr. Bikanda says he had been on retirement for two months when the then Laquintini Director, Dr. Louis Richard Njock, called him back to consult on hospital hygiene.
“I had been on retirement for two months when Dr. Louis Richard Njock called me and offered me to be a hospital hygiene consultant, given the degree of unhealthiness at Laquintinie Hospital,” he recounted.
“We worked together from 2019 until he was appointed Secretary General of the Ministry of Public Health. And, before his departure, he introduced me to Prof. Noel Emmanuel Essomba, who agreed that I continue working with him as support staff, and that I take care of the general maintenance of the hospital.”
On a normal working day, Jean George and his team shuffle from one hospital block to another with brooms meticulously collecting, sorting, and handling various types of hospital waste.
Household waste is separated into another bin and left for collection by HYSACAM, the national waste collection company.
Staff safely empty liquid waste from operation and delivery rooms into a pit, while they incinerate solid waste that includes blood and syringes.
Extraordinary Journey
Jean George Bikanda’s journey into health engineering began in the early 1980s.
Initially, he wanted to become a civil aviation technician, but his father, a “cleanliness maniac,” steered him towards a career in sanitary health.
In 1982, he gained acceptance into Cameroon’s Health Engineering Technician programme, and by 1985, he earned his certification and was prepared to begin his professional path.
From his first position at Obala District Hospital to the Edea and Efoulan District Hospitals, he held roles ranging from Medical-Health Technician to Chief of Sanitation.
His unrelenting focus on public health and hygiene fetched him additional roles during outbreaks like cholera and Ebola, as he became one of the hygiene and sanitation consultants for the diseases in Cameroon.
Laquintini Hospital says he has been at the fore of not only hygiene and sanitation but has championed the fight against recent epidemics, including Ebola, cholera, and COVID-19.
Described as a “patriot of hospital sanitation,” Bikanda and his team strictly adhere to protocols. They ensure hazardous waste is appropriately incinerated or safely buried.
His effectiveness at hospital waste management owes to several trainings he has received in different countries, including Morocco, Togo, and Liberia, where he learned advanced infectious waste management techniques.
The father of four works every day of the week except on Sundays when he spends time at home watching news and debate programs.
