Health-care waste management in Lao PDR: a case study.
This study investigated the health-care waste (HCW) management at each health-care facility level at two selected sites in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR): Vientiane Municipality; and Bolikhamxay province. It focused on the amount of HCW, its segregation and the factors influencing HCW management, particularly segregation procedures. A high proportion of incorrectly segregated medical waste was found at each level of health-care facility. Re-segregation revealed 39, 62, 57 and 37% at national hospital, provincial hospital, district hospital and health centre level, respectively, was poorly segregated. The mean of generated HCW was 0.62 kg/bed per day (Vientiane Municipality) and 0.38 kg/bed per day (Bolikhamxay) at two study sites. A higher proportion of medical waste (MW) from the inpatient department at the primary health-care level was found. Thus, HCW management at primary health-care facilities needs more attention and should be better understood.
Phengxay
Soulivanh
S
Department of Health Policy & Planning, School of International Health, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
Okumura
Junko
J
Miyoshi
Miki
M
Sakisaka
Kayako
K
Kuroiwa
Chushi
C
Phengxay
Manilay
M
D003151:Community Health Centers; D003625:Data Collection; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007812:Laos; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D018505:Waste Management / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D017744:Medical Waste Disposal