Vietnam has more than 13,500 medical facilities, each year treating more than 150 million people and more than 300 million outpatient examinations, generating a large amount of waste, of which 5% is plastic waste, equivalent to about 22 tons/day. If not managed properly, this amount of waste will be at risk of leaking into the environment causing pollution, or causing waste to which has the potential to be reused/recycled, especially medical plastic waste. ​

To help hospitals improve the efficiency of medical solid waste management, increase recycling rates and reduce the generation of solid and infectious waste, recently (December 13-14th, 2023), the Center for Health Environment Research and Development (CHERAD) has coordinated with Vietnam – Sweden Uong Bi Hospital to organize training on medical solid waste management for nearly 800 medical officers and staff at the hospital.

The training course, with lectures from Associate Professor. Dr. Nguyen Huy Nga, former Director of the Vietnam Health Environment Management Agency, Director of CHERAD and guest Associate Professor. Dr. Nguyen Viet Hung, former Head of Infection Control Department at Bach Mai Hospital, Hanoi, had provided and reinforced hospital staff with knowledge about medical solid waste management such as: current legal documents on medical solid waste management; regulations on classification and collection, storage, transportation and treatment of medical solid waste (including plastic waste) at the Hospital; harmful effects of medical plastic waste on the environment and humans; and a circular economy model for sustainable management of medical plastic waste.

This is an activity in the “Developing a Circular Economy Model in Medical Plastic Waste Management” Initiative implemented by CHERAD, within the framework of the Reducing Pollution Project led by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, with the Pollution Control Department as the project owner. The Initiative is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through Winrock International. Vietnam – Sweden Uong Bi Hospital is one of the hospitals cooperating with the Initiative to pilot the Circular Economy Model in Medical Plastic Waste Management.

Quang Huy