Health Care Waste Management Project in the Pacific Islands - Case Study Example

Health care waste management project in pacific islands Name Professor Course Date Health care waste management project in pacific islands island Introduction and background Poor waste management is a major threat to sustainable development in the Pacific islands region. This is because it has an adverse effect on the region's environment as well as public health, water quality agriculture, fisheries and tourism (MALONE-LEE, 2014). In the recent past, there has been significant effort in managing the solid waste. However, the hazardous wastes, including the health care wastes, generally remain unmanaged. Some of the challenges facing waste management that has been identified in the larger pacific islands region include, limited availability of suitable land for waste disposal, remoteness of the countries, resulting in higher waste management costs, and small and sparse population which limits the economics of sale (SMITH, 2006) Improper management of the health care wastes can lead to contamination of water, release of air pollutant as well as infection risks to the patients and the public (CIRILLO 2008). This is the reason why appropriate waste management, including collection, storage and disposal of the hazardous waste is thus essential for the protection of the human health and the environment (ARAFAT, 2010). The health care waste management project in Pacific islands will provide the fundamental on ground of improvement of the way high risk wastes are managed in the country. This will help to build a healthy, economically and environmentally sustainable state for future generations. The project is estimated to cost around $150, 000 and focuses on propriety hazardous waste stream -healthcare wastes. The project is expected to take a period of 20 weeks from the signature of this contract. The specific objective of this project is to help the pacific islands territory adopt cost effective self-sustaining waste management system to protect the public from adverse health effects that may result from the waste. The report presents the finding of the assessment aimed at collecting information on the existing management of healthcare waste and its disposal. In the report then proposes a number of options that the country can implement to sustainable manage the hazardous waste from the health facilities in the region. Project description Project scope The report covers collection, collation, reviews of management of health care waste, and provides the best practice options available in the Pacific islands . The data collected include; health care waste separation and infection control, adequacy supply of hazardous healthcare waste collection equipments, hazardous healthcare waste storage, and transportation, the hazardous waste disposal practice and annual operating costs. In addition, data on frequency and adequacy of infection control waste disposal training, and personnel protective equipment was analyzed. The expected project outcome 1. Identification of Pacific islands ’s hazardous waste status and assessing the management options available 2. Identification and implementation of the of the available best option to sustainably mange health care waste in Pacific islands 3. Enhance the capacity and putting in place appropriate policy and regulations to sustainably mange hazardous waste stream 4. To improve national collaboration and information exchange on hazardous waste management practice. Activities for achievement of the expected outcome To assess the hazardous waste status in the hospital and determine the waste management option, a thorough assessment of the state's solid waste management in Pacific islands will be carried out. The analysis will take stock of the existing data that will be reviewed and validated, for the prioritization of the available interventions (PRASAD, 2011) The best practice for health care waste management will be identified and adopted. To determine the best available option for hazardous waste management, the following will be done effectively and sustainable waste management solution will be implemented in line with contemporary best practice on the basis of the guidelines and priority identified in the framework of the activities included in the resort areas. The identification of the specific intervention to be implemented will consider the most urgent need in the country. In addition, it will be ensured that appropriate policy and regulatory framework is in place before specific demonstrated activities are approved (Cirillo, 2014 & Ross, B. 2007). According to united nation (2014) to build the capacity and providing assistance in developing policy to mitigate and mange hazardous waste streams, training in waste management practice will be provided and integrated as the Co requirement for all relevant personnel. Finally, in order to strengthen the national collaboration and information exchange on hazardous waste management practices, a methodology that facilitates effective exchange of best practice will be established (OCHUKO, 2014). The main aim of this partnership will be to provide an interactive and collaborative two way information exchange on common problem and solution for waste management, among the pacific islands community and promote the exchange of the lessons learned (THAI, 2009). At the same time, a network of Pacific islands waste recycling will be established to promote the exchange of best practices and dissemination of the lesson learnt. Finally, after the completion of the project, a national workshop will disseminate information on the technical details arising from the major outcome of the above activity. To achieve the goals, a team will need to be transported to the islands. The table below shows how team will be transported to the various island. Island Departure from Destination Travel date Airline Papua new guinea Melbourne international air port Papua new guinea 1/6/15 Air Australia Palau Papua new guinea Palau 3/6/15 Air pacific Federated state of Micronesia Palau Federated state of Micronesia 6/6/15 air pacific Nauru Papua new guinea Nauru 9/6/15 Nauru air line Marshall island Nauru Marshall island 12/6/15 Air Marshall Solomon island Nauru Solomon island 15/6/15 Nauru air line Tuvalu Solomon island Tuvalu 18/6/15 Nauru air line Pacific islands Tuvalu Pacific islands 21/6/15 Nauru airline Fiji Tuvalu Fiji 23/6/15 Nauru air line Samoa Fiji Samoa 26/6/15 Air new Zealand Cook island Fiji Cook island 29/6/15 Air new Zealand Tonga Fiji Tonga 2/7/15 Air pacific Niue Tonga Niue 5/715 Air pacific Vanuatu Fiji Vanuatu 8/7/15 Air Australia Australia Vanuatu Australia 15/17/15 Air Australia Statistics of one of hospital assessed In the Pacific islands, the ministry of health and medical service operates health facilities via the provision of the hospitals, health centers, and health clinics. The public health inspectors are responsible for the management of the management of the healthcare wastes. The hospital statics: The Tangura hospital has 200 beds and approximately 53 staff. The service providers include x-ray, pharmacy, dentist, pathology, operating theater, rehabilitation, and outpatient. Other hospital statics include No of beds Category Statistics No. of beds 200 Annual occupancy 110% Outpatient attendant 150/ daily Emergency patient attended 560 OBDs 80,3000 No. operators Itherter no nuber No. of births 4000/annum No of staff 53 Identified Waste stream, treatment constrains and costs Tangaru hospital generates waste and health care waste (including, infectious waste, sharps and pharmaceuticals). The hospital generates a sizable amount of untreated health care waste, and this continues to grow because the waste generation is outstripping capacity. The stockpile is growing at an approximate rate of 120 per week due to insufficient current incineration capacity (YU, & LIU, 2014) The hospital has some responsibility for waste management from a neighboring hospital, in addition there has construction of new maternity ward at the hospital which will increase the volume of wastes (PARK, S& SEO,.2015). Waste management and the infectious disease: currently, there is no waste management policy , plan or formalized waste management procedure. The environment health inspector oversee the waste management, with cleaners responsibility for transporting waste to the incinerator and the incinerator operator for sorting and burning health care waste. Although there is infection, control policy and has section on the waste management, however the environment health inspector did not know the policy. In addition it was identified that although there has been some audit in past, they have been no audit in the recent past. The key healthcare waste management issues in Pacific islands The following are some of the key healthcare issues identified in Tanagra hospital. 1. There are bins dedicated for various waste types, but this are not always used properly 2. Signs advising for correct wastage segregation are present , but not every where 3. The storage of healthcare waste is not done correctly 4. There is an ad hoc collection of the health care wastes which is transported to the land fill, this mean that the waste is not collected on regular schedule 5. Although the incineration is working efficiently, there is a problem in identifying Analysis of option available for the sustainable health care waste management in the Pacific islands There are five issues identified and which need to be addressed. This section present issues and potential option that can be employed to address the issue 1. Waste management frame work The key issues: there is no documented waste management system or plan in Pacific islands , in addition, there is no waste management committee in the region. Option to dress the issue: establishing waste management program frame work including; waste management plan, determine who will be responsible for implementing the plan and waste management committee for each healthcare facility. 2. Signage , segregation of wastes and containers The issue: the segregation and containment practices are below minimum standard. This is evidenced by absence of signage, the only segregation practiced is for sharps, and absence of color-coded bags and bins Intervention Options: improve the segregation practice by; supply of adequate color-coded waste bins and plastic liners to serve all the wards and facilities for a period to allow edging down of the segregation process; supply small number of color-coded wheel bins to healthcare faculties to act as department storage and internal transport trolley. 3. Training and audits The issue: There is no training or wastage segregation auditing Intervention options: development and delivery of healthcare waste training program to all hospital personnel as well as personnel from other stakeholder 4. Treatment of the waste material The issue: the waste treatment method in the Pacific islands is not in accordance to the required standards. In addition, the available incineration is stressed in capacity. Intervention options: the treatment of waste in each facility should use one (or combination) of the following; rotary kiln, incineration, low temperature burning, microwave, chemical, on site burial or shredding. 5. Occupational health and safety The issue: spill control kits were not observed anywhere in the region Intervention option: improvement of supply spill kits. Possible Option for treatment of the health care wastes (the key issue 4 above) There is a rage of alternatives for this issue. However it is important to note that, each alternatives has its strength and weaknesses in term of performance and cost, which need to be considered before deciding the appropriate option to implement. In addition, the waste type and volume will also need to be put under consideration (RICHARDS, & HAYNES, 2014). Furthermore, it is important to note that, a treatment solution may involve a single technology or several technologies. Al this alternative has to be considered when deciding the appropriate measure to implement (HILL, 2013). The following technologies can fit the case of Pacific islands 1. Incineration (high temperature; >1000oc) 2. Incineration (medium temperature 800- 1000oC ) 3. Low temperature burning (single chamber incinerator/ drum/ pt Read More