Health-care waste management in Lao PDR: a case study. |
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Authors: | Soulivanh Phengxay Junko Okumura Miki Miyoshi Kayako Sakisaka Chushi Kuroiwa Manilay Phengxay |
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Affiliation: | Department of Health Policy & Planning, School of International Health, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. |
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Abstract: | 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. |
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