Forgot your password?
New user?
Paper 15
download file
(195Kb)
The prevalence of diseases that may be transmitted by hospital waste is alarming in Bangladesh. There is evidence of hepatitis B infection at some point in their lives among 10% of children (5-10 years old) and 30% of adults. About 5% of the total population is thought to suffer from chronic hepatitis B infection. Although cases of HIV/AIDS are few in Bangladesh (only about 13,000 cases estimated in 2001), nevertheless the numbers are rising. In the absence of healthcare waste management, infected syringes and needles are often improperly disposed of. These are collected and resold. Reuse of infected syringes is a potential risk in spreading many diseases including HIV/AIDS.
Hospital waste in Bangladesh is generally disposed of in the same way as ordinary domestic waste. Khulna city, however, is an exception. It remains the only city in the country with a hospital waste management programme (HWMP) running for several years under a public-private partnership arrangement. The need for such services is acute in other cities, including Dhaka city. This paper discusses the potential of delivering healthcare waste management services through private enterprise in partnership with municipalities.
Log in to add comment
