Health Care Waste Management


Sunday, 12 April 2009 19:00
The various types of wastes are generated within the hospital in the operation of various processes. Out of the total wastes produced 80-90% of the waste does not pose any risk and it is similar to domestic wastes. However other 10-20% of waste with greater risk is termed as health care waste/Bio-medical waste. The health care waste contains infectious material and hazardous substance which passes a risk not only to the health care providers and the sick, but also to the waste handlers and cause harm to the environment.


A hospital where hazardous waste is not properly managed, cannot give a quality services to the patient. The government should have an adequate frame work to address the issue on a national level. Realizing this need, National Health Research Council (NHRC) has come up with “National Health Care Waste Management (HCWM) guidelines in may 2002 with the support of WHO. The number of hospitals, private nursing homes, health care centers and health post has increased over the last decade. This ever increasing health care institutions and improper handling of medical wastes have posed a serious threat to the urban dwellers, especially in Kathmandu where the generations of medical wastes is very high. So far there is no separate mechanism for the treatment of medical waste. Both the medical waste and general household waste are being finally treated together as municipal waste. The mismanagement of infectious waste and irresponsibility of medical facilities can cause a major public and occupational health hazard, resulting in the spread of infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS and hepatitis B.


Proper management of HCW can prevent cross infection and spreads of infectious disease. Unfortunately, this aspect is completely ignored in most of the health care institutions in our country. In many cases, waste handling is left to lower level of workers who carry on this job without any training, guidance and even supervision. Lack of proper legislation commitment and dedication by the management position, lack of proper financial resources and training facilities are the sole reasons for the pathetic health care waste management issue in the developing countries.

(Source:www.healthnewsnepal.com)



WATSAN Media Fellowship Award 2009


Kathmandu, 31 March: Water and sanitation (WATSAN), which were considered as developmental issues, are nowadays treated as basic right by most of the stakeholders and sector players of Nepal and other countries.


Nepal has targeted to reduce the population deprived from safe drinking water and proper sanitation to half by 2015 to meet the Millennium Development Goal at local level. Similarly, the country has targeted to provide proper WATSAN facilities to all by 2017 in its National goal.


The government and non-governmental organizations involved on WATSAN in


Nepal are also working consistently to expand WATSAN services and increase coverage of safe drinking water and proper sanitation facilities in the country so that deprived population and communities could be benefited with adequate and quality WATSAN services.


In this context, various media of Nepal are also expressing their solidarity in this national campaign, and disseminating WATSAN related news and issues regularly. It has helped WATSAN to gain remarkable space in the current media of Nepal, and has supported in raising awareness on WATSAN at different levels.


Considering this contribution, Ministry of Physical Planning and Works under the


Government of Nepal, and UN-HABITAT’s Water for Asian Cities Nepal in association with Guthi jointly organized the WATSAN Media Fellowship Award in Nepal to encourage the journalists to continue their contribution in WATSAN sector in days ahead.


At the beginning, an announcement of the WATSAN Media Fellowship Award was made in which the journalists were called to submit their proposal with their previous works in WATSAN issues.


A 7-member jury panel was formed, which comprises experts in journalism and WATSAN to make the selection process impartial and transparent. On the basis of the previous works of the journalists competing for the fellowship award, the panel declared ten journalists as the winners. Among them, five were from different national newspapers, two from FM Radio and three from television channels.


The fellowship award has been expected to be helpful in initiating research based media reporting which in turn contributes in dissemination of accurate and credible information among the public and policy makers. These initiatives can also be effective and efficient to bring local initiatives in a wider spectrum. It has also been expected to build and foster sustainable relation of the sector players with media in the country.