Guidance for healthcare waste management in LICs
Healthcare waste (HCW) is a by-product of healthcare that includes sharps, non-sharps, blood, body parts, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and radioactive materials.
Poor management of HCW exposes healthcare workers, waste handlers and the community to infections, toxic effects and injuries.
WHO Programme activities include developing technical guidance materials for assessing the quantities and types of waste produced in different facilities, creating national action plans, developing national healthcare waste management (HCWM) guidelines and building capacity at national level to enhance the way HCW is dealt with in low-income countries (LICs).
Website structure and navigation
The website is split in three main sections:
- basics provides an overview about HCW and its proper management;
- country level and HC facilities is where information relevant to the five main thematics (management, training, regulatory and financial issues as well as technologies) can be found;
- resources has five databases that provide relevant documents, links, technologies, country information and case studies.
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If you have any remarks, suggestions or have some piece of information you believe should be posted on this website, please contact: hcwaste(at)who(dot)int
Documents
- WHO core principles for achieving safe and sustainable management of health-care waste
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