Archives: Resources

A review of health-care waste management policies in the Western Pacific Region

A review was carried out on health-care waste management policies in the Western Pacific Region, encompassing 16 countries and areas with diverse systems and resources. This report presents key findings on policy comprehensiveness in relation to WHO guidance. The review process included examining essential components of the legal framework for health-care waste management in each country. It also sought to identify best practices in disaster and emergency preparedness and to determine whether advanced, environmentally friendly technologies, including low-carbon alternatives, had been adopted as recommended in national policies. Based on the findings, recommendations were made with the aim of enhancing health-care waste management policies, with a specific focus on addressing technical gaps. Find the review here!

How hospitals in Nepal are making waste their business

Since the COVID pandemic, major hospitals across Nepal have set up environmentally friendly systems to segregate, treat and dispose of healthcare waste. Together with WHO Nepal and UNICEF, the project supported the National Health Training Centre (NHTC), the in-service training institution of the Ministry of Health and Population, to develop a learning resource package on healthcare waste management. This has resulted in cleaner premises, safer working conditions, reduced burning of waste and welcome revenue from the sale of recyclables. Find out more here!

Costs of Health Care Associated Infections from Inadequate Water and Sanitation in Health Care Facilities in Eastern and Southern Africa

In Eastern and Southern Africa, an estimated 3.1 million HAIs in 2022 incurred over 320,000 excess deaths. When all the direct and indirect costs are considered, it is likely that Healthcare associated infections (HAIs) account for well over 7% of health spending and the economic costs of at least US$6 billion exceed 1% of GDP in the nine study countries. Implementation of WASH, HCWM and environmental cleaning is likely to prevent at least 50% of these costs and have multiple additional benefits on patient and healthcare worker safety and satisfaction. Investing in comprehensive WASH and HCWM can yield substantial benefits, with a benefit-cost ratio of 5.8 for all economic costs. Find the policy research paper here!

WASH Reflections from Dnipro, Ukraine

Dr. Maragaret Montgomery, the lead of WASH in Healthcare facilities and settings in WASH Unit-WHO shares her reflection from her recent visit to Dnipro, in Eastern Ukraine. She co-facilitated a training co-hosted by WHO & UNICEF on improving water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), waste and infection prevention and control (IPC) in health care facilities (HCFs). Watch the video here and read the reflections below!

UN General Assembly resolution: Sustainable, safe and universal water, sanitation, hygiene, waste and electricity services in health care facilities

The new resolution emphasizes the critical role these services play in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and underscores the gaps in current global services. It also encourages Member States to integrate these services into national health planning and calls for improved international cooperation to support developing countries in this area. In addition, the Resolution highlights the need for cross-sectoral engagement, national roadmaps, adequate resourcing and regular monitoring and evaluation to ensure the provision of these essential services. Find the resolution here!

WASH FIT Training Report-Nigeria

WHO & UNICEF organized a national WASH FIT training in Keffi Town-Nigeria in close collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency. The training was held for five days from 20-24 November 2023, with a purpose of training 25 participants from national, sub-national and facility levels to be WASH FIT trainers who will be qualified to facilitate WASH FIT training and support the implementation of the tool on three levels: national, sub-national, and facility levels. Participants visited primary healthcare facilities in Keffi town-Nigeria and drafted an improvement plan for the facilities and a proposed budgeted action plan for national, sub-national and facility levels. These plans are included in the training report. Find the report here!

WASH FIT Training Report in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone conducted a national WASH FIT training from the 4th to the 8th of December 2023. The training targeted 38 health professionals from national and district and facility levels. The training was facilitated by Ministry of Health Sierra Leone, UNICEF HQ & UNICEF Sierra Leone.

A National Investment Case on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)in Health-Care Facilities (HCFs) in Tajikistan

This document is National Investment case on WASH in healthcare facilities in Tajikistan. The document includes quantification cost of actions and inaction to achieve the SDG 6 target for WASH and waste services in HCFs in Tajikistan by 2030. The study estimates the costs of achieving full coverage of limited, basic and improved WASH, and waste services based on 20 sampled HCFs in rural and urban settings (as primary sample), 42 secondary level facilities and 1500 PHCs covered by UNICEF (as secondary sample), and investment modeling has been implied across all 3,297 public HCFs registered in Tajikistan. Find the document here!