Managing health-care waste

As Nepal advances its healthcare facilities, prioritising waste management will result in a more sustainable future.

Healthcare waste (HCW), the primary source of hospital-borne infections worldwide, harbours potentially harmful microorganisms, posing a risk of infection to patients, health workers and the public. It is estimated that 15 percent of the total HCW produced can be infectious, toxic or radioactive. Drug-resistant microorganisms can emanate from health facilities and spread into the environment, exacerbating the challenge of antimicrobial resistance.