Support to Health Care Waste Management in Malawi

Nation-wide assessment of the healthcare waste management system and assessment of the national framework, legal policy in line with the international environmental policies.

Date

06/2020 – 02/2022

Country

Malawi

Client

The Ministry of Health of Malawi

Financing Institution

The Global Fund

Consortium Partner

n/a

m4eco Key Areas

Waste Management

Overall project value

Nation-wide assessment of the healthcare waste management system and assessment of the national framework, legal policy in line with the international environmental policies.

Recommendation and options for an integrated HCWM system and legal framework update.

Project description

Over years the Global Fund, the Government of Malawi and other stakeholders have purchased large quantities of health products to health facilities in Malawi with the aim of supporting the fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. Traditionally, different disease programs have procured incinerators to incinerate HCW. However, these emit toxic persistent organic pollutants and Malawi is party to the Stockholm Convention which seeks to eliminate such sources of environmental contamination and threats to health. HCW requires a complete system of waste management, from the point of generation to collection, separation safe disposal. Failing to do this will mean continued pollution and could lead to the spread of hazardous infections which pose huge risk to the health of the public, patients, and medical professionals. Current concerns about risks from Covid-19 related waste has heightened technical support needs for policy, strategy and action plans. The Global Fund Office of Inspector General (OIG) in Malawi indicated a significant gap in waste management in the public and private health facilities, with the recommendation to set up a waste management system (WMS) and national policy;

Scope of work

Waste Audit Assessment within healthcare facilities
Stakeholders interviews
Data analysis on waste
Legal Assessment of guidelines and policies in Malawi

Results

Waste Audit Assessment with a mix of Primary data collection using a special in-house designed data collection tool, surveys and secondary data – m4h visited 15 healthcare facilities and primary, secondary and tertiary level in the whole country and assessed the general information on waste like human resources, training, capacity, technology, procurement, monitoring and financing to come up with a nation-wide assessment.
Options for an integrated HCWM system were developed for implementation.
Assessment of the legal framework in Malawi and recommendations on it’s updating
A 10 year (2021-2030) costing and implementation plan for technology and activities for this new system was developed.

Outstanding characteristics

Costing of the measures with a set of activities and procurement plan for the period 2021-2030.
Legal Framework Update
Gap Analysis of 15 facilities and development of three options for the development of an integrated HCWM plan.