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Healthcare waste management in Pakistan
Maryam S. Abbasi
Health, safety & Environment
What is health-care waste?
“Health-care waste includes all the waste generated by
health-care establishments, research facilities, and
laboratories. In addition, it includes the waste originating
from “minor” or “scattered” sources--such as that produced
in the course of health care undertaken in the home
(dialysis, insulin injections, etc.).”
Ca
teg
ori
es-
WH
O
Sharp waste
Infectious waste
Pathological waste
Pharmaceutical waste
Chemical waste
Radioactive waste
Transportation
Interim storage
Collection
Segregation
WHO Guidelines for HCWM
HCWM in AJK & ICT
HCWM Teams
11%
HCWM internal
15%
Regular training
8%
Unawareness
12%No
segregation
7%
Only sharps
segregation
10%
Infectious waste
segregation
8%
Other waste
segregation
0%
Labelled
containers
12%
Separate
containers (I/NI)
17%
Conti…
• 45% had temporary storage areas while 46% had
central storage area.
• No treatment of hospital waste for onsite waste in
60% of the facilities.
• 17% were using direct fire system, 18% incineration
and only 1% used chemical disinfection.
HCWM in Lahore
• 70% don’t use
protective
equipment's
• Doing job because
of economical
reasons
• Not aware of the
word “training”
HCWM in Karachi
• Disposal of waste into
open bins without
segregation
• No use of personal
protective equipment
• No training given for
waste disposal
HCWM in Rawalpindi
Conti…
HCWM in Islamabad
Cont….
Treatment methods
• Incineration
• Autoclaving
• Microwave irradiation
• Land Disposal
• Inertization
Conclusion and Recommendations
• Government and associated departments should
step in to control the situation. There is serious
need of handling of waste specially sharps and
syringes, pathological waste and infectious waste.
• Hospitals must be charged if they don’t follow
waste disposal guidelines.
• Workers should be given trainings for the
awareness of health hazardous of healthcare
waste.
Conti…
• Strict rules and regulations for the use of protectiveequipment such as gloves and masks and special dressfor the collection and disposal of waste.
• Proper system for the segregation, collection, storageand transportation of waste.
• Storage area must be separate and away fromhealthcare facility so that it cannot affect health ofworkers.
• Regular check-up for the workers involved in handlingof healthcare waste specially involved in handling ofinfectious waste.
