Health Care Waste Management

To establish the most effective, practical, and safe means of waste disposal in health care settings, MMIS is modeling waste management systems in pilot districts in each country. Working with Ministry of Health (MOH) planners, MMIS will help each country develop a national health care waste management (HCWM) plan based on in-country experience and best suited to each country’s unique situation.

MMIS focuses on developing effective strategies for sharps waste in the broader context of HCWM policies, standards, and guidelines. The project supports the development and promotion of realistic, sound practices in the handling of health care waste. With MOHs, MMIS facilitates the evolution of waste disposal systems from less effective to more effective and environmentally responsible disposal options, such as needle removal, terminal sterilization, and recycling.

International dialogue and lessons learned in the initial phase help refine national plans that serve as the foundation of implementation activities. Effective partnerships with health and environmental projects and resource mobilization for HCWM infrastructure development will be essential for sustaining long-term activities.

Program Highlights

Better Waste Disposal Options for Diabetic Patients Reduce Sharps Waste in Botswana
Diabetic patients in Botswana typically require an average of 60 injections per month. During one facility supervision visit, MMIS learned that one patient from Morwa Health Post (Kgatleng District) was successfully using a puncture-proof sharps container to dispose of used insulin injection devices. This action was in contrast to patients in Boseja who were carrying used injection devices in plastic bags. MMIS, in conjunction with the Morwa Health Post, the district hospital, the district health team, and Boseja Clinic organized a meeting of nine diabetic patients residing in the Boseja Clinic catchment area where the Morwa model of disposal of used insulin injection devices was adopted.

South-to-South, Cross-Program Collaboration in Waste Management: Rwanda and Côte d’Ivoire
MMIS supports the exchange of experiences, tools, and information across country programs to build on exiting program knowledge. In June 2005, the local MMIS team hosted a workshop for Rwandan and Ivoirian staff and counterparts on micro-planning in medical waste management for the expansion areas of both countries. The workshop provided the opportunity for Rwandan MMIS staff and several counterparts from the MOH (including representatives from the national level, from the initial phase districts, and also from the expansion districts) to liaise with colleagues from Côte d’Ivoire and receive technical assistance from waste management experts from PATH.