The Health Ministry and the World Bank on June 12 jointly launched a wide ranging environmental plan to treat medical waste throughout the country.
Under the three-phase master plan, from 2011-2015 and with a vision towards 2020, liquid and solid waste disposed by hospitals and healthcare facilities will be processed to ensure the environment is protected and health workers, patients and the community are not vulnerable to pollution risks.
During the five-year period, facilities to treat medical waste, including sewerage plants, will be built to ensure that healthcare establishments do not pollute the environment at both central and local levels.
By 2015, 100 percent of healthcare facilities at central level, 70 percent at provincial level, 50 percent at district level and 100 percent of private clinics will process their sewerage in accordance with the national regulations and standards on the environment, while hazardous liquid waste disposed by the remaining will be treated initially before being piped out.
In addition, by 2012, 100 percent of healthcare facilities at central and provincial levels, 70 percent at district level and 100 percent of private clinics will treat all solid waste in line with the national regulations and standards on the environment.
Nguyen Huy Nga, Head of the Health Environment Management Agency (HEMA), under the Health Ministry, said that the health sector needs around 12 trillion VND (roughly 576 million USD) to carry out the plan nationwide.
According to Kari Hurt from the World Bank, the plan shows the Vietnamese Government’s commitment to managing medical waste properly and providing direct support to health workers, patients and the community.
It is estimated that around 350 tonnes of solid waste, including about 40 tonnes of hazardous waste, and 150,000 cu.m of sewerage are discharged every single day.
By 2015, these volumes are expected to rise to 600 tonnes of solid waste and 300,000 cu.m of sewerage.
More than 90 percent of hospitals classify their solid waste and have it removed every day. However, this is not always carried out in line with the national regulations.
Only 73.3 percent of hospitals incinerate their solid waste, while the remainder still use out of date methods such as open air burning or landfill.
Around 74 percent of hospitals at central level, 40 percent at provincial levels and 27 percent at district level have their own sewerage treatment plants, but most of them fail to meet the national regulations and standards on environment.
A number of those attending the plan’s launching ceremony in Hanoi proposed a wide range of solutions to deal with medical waste, especially hazardous waste.
The Ministry of Science and Technology is currently working on a project to apply and transfer modern, eco-friendly technologies when treating waste, which suit Vietnam ’s socio-economic development.
Along with the plan to treat waste during 2011-2015, a six year project to support the management of medical waste using WB loans will also being carried out.-VNA
Under the three-phase master plan, from 2011-2015 and with a vision towards 2020, liquid and solid waste disposed by hospitals and healthcare facilities will be processed to ensure the environment is protected and health workers, patients and the community are not vulnerable to pollution risks.
During the five-year period, facilities to treat medical waste, including sewerage plants, will be built to ensure that healthcare establishments do not pollute the environment at both central and local levels.
By 2015, 100 percent of healthcare facilities at central level, 70 percent at provincial level, 50 percent at district level and 100 percent of private clinics will process their sewerage in accordance with the national regulations and standards on the environment, while hazardous liquid waste disposed by the remaining will be treated initially before being piped out.
In addition, by 2012, 100 percent of healthcare facilities at central and provincial levels, 70 percent at district level and 100 percent of private clinics will treat all solid waste in line with the national regulations and standards on the environment.
Nguyen Huy Nga, Head of the Health Environment Management Agency (HEMA), under the Health Ministry, said that the health sector needs around 12 trillion VND (roughly 576 million USD) to carry out the plan nationwide.
According to Kari Hurt from the World Bank, the plan shows the Vietnamese Government’s commitment to managing medical waste properly and providing direct support to health workers, patients and the community.
It is estimated that around 350 tonnes of solid waste, including about 40 tonnes of hazardous waste, and 150,000 cu.m of sewerage are discharged every single day.
By 2015, these volumes are expected to rise to 600 tonnes of solid waste and 300,000 cu.m of sewerage.
More than 90 percent of hospitals classify their solid waste and have it removed every day. However, this is not always carried out in line with the national regulations.
Only 73.3 percent of hospitals incinerate their solid waste, while the remainder still use out of date methods such as open air burning or landfill.
Around 74 percent of hospitals at central level, 40 percent at provincial levels and 27 percent at district level have their own sewerage treatment plants, but most of them fail to meet the national regulations and standards on environment.
A number of those attending the plan’s launching ceremony in Hanoi proposed a wide range of solutions to deal with medical waste, especially hazardous waste.
The Ministry of Science and Technology is currently working on a project to apply and transfer modern, eco-friendly technologies when treating waste, which suit Vietnam ’s socio-economic development.
Along with the plan to treat waste during 2011-2015, a six year project to support the management of medical waste using WB loans will also being carried out.-VNA
