Kalikot Hospital Launches Medical Waste Management Center
Kalikot: The District Hospital Kalikot has started managing medical waste generated within the hospital premises. With financial support from UNICEF and Chay-Ya Nepal, a Medical Waste Management Center has been constructed inside the hospital compound and is now in operation.
According to hospital information officer Katak Bahadur Mahat, the center was established under the Safe and Climate-Resilient WASH Services Project, which aims to build climate-resilient communities through improvements in drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene. The facility officially came into operation on Friday.
As part of the preparation for proper waste management, the hospital also undertook several related upgrades. These include conservation of the water source and intake construction, repair of a 16-cubic-meter reservoir tank, installation of 1,000-liter plastic Hilltake tanks for water storage, and chlorination systems for water purification.
For safe waste handling, the project has provided an autoclave, shredder, handwashing basins, designated safe zones for hazardous waste, and an office unit. Additionally, two pits for infectious and sharp waste, two placenta pits, and 12 waste storage cages have been constructed.
A three-phase electricity connection has been installed for lighting. Moreover, a medical waste treatment machine, which had been installed during the COVID-19 period with UNICEF support but was not previously in use, has now been activated. Personal hygiene kits are also available, ensuring safe waste handling inside the hospital, according to Acting Hospital Chief Dr. Prakash Paudel.
Min Bahadur Rawal, Karnali Province Manager of Chay-Ya Nepal, stated that 25% of total hospital waste is infectious, and if not managed properly, it can contaminate the remaining 75% of general waste, putting both patients and the surrounding community at risk.
He emphasized that failing to separate biodegradable, non-biodegradable, and infectious waste increases the spread of communicable diseases. Therefore, a dedicated collection and segregation center was built to ensure safe waste identification and disposal from the point of generation.
Rabindra Sejuwal, Head of the Health Section of Khadachakra Municipality, stated that the municipality will support the transportation and final disposal of the hospital’s waste to designated disposal sites.
At the inauguration of the waste management center, Dirgha Bahadur Pokhrel, Secretary of the Ministry of Social Development, Karnali Province, highlighted the important role of hospital staff in the effective use and maintenance of the facility.
He further stressed that improper disposal of hospital waste can lead to infection outbreaks in the surrounding communities and, during the monsoon, runoff can carry waste into rivers and streams, harming biodiversity. He urged hospital staff to take full responsibility and fulfill their duties in ensuring safe waste management.
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