It is far too easy to believe that the safe management of healthcare waste is something of a done deal, with improvement required only in cost minimization and resource recovery – everything else is just fine, isn’t it?

But that is far from true and in many parts of the world the management of healthcare wastes is rudimentary at best, and frankly dangerous to the rag pickers and other scavengers who pick though piles of untreated clinical and sanitary wastes to recover items that might be sold on or recycled for re-use without any regard for the consequences of unsterilised syringes and needles, dressings and other items, or the welfare of those who are engaged in this work.

This excellent YouTube video has been produced to show the recent improvement in healthcare wastes management at Bir Hospital in Kathmandu. Bir is Nepal’s oldest and largest hospital. Though their multi-tiered approach to waste management and the hard work of staff at all levels, together with the purchase of the simple small autoclave, vast improvements are being made of which they must be rightly proud.

The video is horrifying, informative and encouraging, revealing to others how, with limited resources and the dedication of a team of individuals to engage the support of the entire healthcare team vast improvements in safe management of healthcare wastes can be brought about. This reduces the risk to rag pickers and orderlies, to patients who might otherwise be treated using unsterilised equipment, and to the environment.

All credit to the staff of Bir Hospital in Kathmandu.