The government of Japan and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Wednesday launched a new project to address the unprecedented rise in infectious health care waste caused by the Covid-19 pandemic that is overwhelming waste treatment facilities.
The project will support the national health agencies and other key stakeholders in Bangladesh, Bhutan and the Maldives.
The two-year $11 million “Project for the Improvement of Infectious Waste Management” was officially launched at a signing ceremony in New York City, said the UN agency.
Ambassador Takeshi Osuga, Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations and Kanni Wignaraja, Assistant Administrator and Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific at UNDP attended the signing ceremony.
Japan is supporting Bangladesh, Bhutan and the Maldives in developing sustainable solutions for health care waste management that will provide long-term benefits for health workers, patients and the wider community. Health care waste is recognized as a significant source of pollutants and improperly managed can cause soil and water contamination and lead to persistent organic pollutants.
Low- and middle-income countries are at risk of mounting health care waste that is beyond their waste management capacity, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) World Health Organization (WHO) Secretary General Kanni Wignaraja has called for urgent action to improve waste management in developing countries.
The project will support key stakeholders in the three countries to deploy locally appropriate health care waste management practices and technologies to help protect human health, and minimize the pandemic's environmental and social impacts.
Health facilities in 26 sub-districts in Bangladesh, in 15 districts across 4 cities in Bhutan, and 6 atolls in the Maldives will benefit from the support.
Health care workers will receive training on properly treating and handling infectious waste, which requires special treatment processes to ensure there is no risk of onward disease transmission to patients, hospital staff and nearby communities. Health facilities will also be equipped with specialized health care waste disposal equipment and digital management systems for improved coordination.
UNDP’s work in health is guided by its Strategic Plan and HIV and Health Strategy, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Through a systems and governance approach, and in collaboration with other UN agencies and partners, UNDP helps countries to deliver more strongly integrated health and development solutions that have equity, resilience and sustainability at their core.
