Healthcare Waste Management in Karachi, Pakistan

Rehan Ahmed (2008)

This Case study on Healthcare Waste Management in Karachi, Pakistan, is a revisit of an earlier study done on this topic in 1997.
At that time it was a pioneering study, in which for the first time the major public and private sector healthcare facilities, laboratories / diagnostic centres, basic health units, maternity homes, buyers and sellers of recyclable material generated from healthcare waste were analysed. Drawing the classification of waste material and procedures, the healthcare waste study applied the knowledge base on the local situation of Karachi. In this respect, the legislative and administrative framework of HCWM was also analysed for its adequacy, relevance, effectiveness and degree of implementation. The study made several recommendations to improve HCWM situation.

This study examines the status of the HCWM sector in the contemporary perspective and comparing it to the situation in 1997. The main conclusion is that the situation definitely has improved but that further improvement is possible and desirable. Some recommendations have been made.

• Functioning hospitals have to be more aware of the services of HCWM offered
• Hospital staff and management need capacity building on the handling of health care waste
• An independent committee is needed to oversee the existing problems and to find solutions.
• Legislation and guidelines should be prepared for liquid waste.
• Sensitization and information dissemination must be facilitated by the media to inform the public on the existing situation.

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HCW Karachi ebook.pdf  (983 kB)