Locations3 High-Capacity Autoclaves Handed Over to Setthathirath, Luangnamtha, and Xayabouly Hospitals for Safe and Appropriate Medical Waste Management
July 28, 2022
Many hospitals in Lao PDR experienced a serious issue of medical waste management, as the volume of hazardous waste generated at the hospitals suddenly increased during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since 2020, the Government of the People’s Republic of China has supported the improvement of medical waste management and COVID-19 advocacy in Lao PDR. With their generous support, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) implemented this project in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, with the technical advisory of the World Health Organization (WHO). As part of this project, three high-capacity autoclaves were handed over to Sethathirath Central Hospital, Luangnamtha Provincial Hospital, and Xayabouly Provincial Hospital on 28 July 2022.
The handover ceremony took place on 28 July 2022 at Setthathirath Central Hospital in Vientiane Capital, with the attendance of H.E. Dr. Bounfeng Phoummalaysith, Minister for Health and Mr. Zhao Wenyu, Counsellor of Economy and Commerce, Embassy of China in Lao PDR.
During the ceremony, H.E. Dr. Bounfeng Phoummalaysith expressed gratitude to the Government of China and renewed the government’s commitment to maintain and sustainably operate this valuable equipment. Mr. Zhao Wenyu highlighted the longstanding relationship between China and Lao PDR in the health sector and appreciated the work done by the Ministry of Health and UNDP in successfully implementing this project.
Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion, Ministry of Health and UNDP facilitated the ceremony together with the Setthathirath Central Hospital, which saw the participation of representatives from the two other hospitals receiving the autoclaves; Luangnamtha Provincial Hospital and Xayabouly Provincial Hospital, as well as the officials of the Provincial Departments of Hygiene and Health Promotion.
The participants of the ceremony also had the opportunity to observe a demonstration on safe and appropriate medical waste treatment using the autoclave, which has a high capacity of treating 100-150 kilograms of medical waste per 30 minutes. The project has also supported the Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion to conduct training at 21 hospitals in Lao PDR on water and sanitation management with a focus on medical waste management.
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This regional project is implemented by UNDP in Lao PDR, the Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Nepal and is funded by the Government of China through the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund (GDF).
For more information, please contact:
Ms. Aksonethip Somvorachit
UNDP Communications Analyst
Lane Xang Avenue, P.O. Box 345
Vientiane, Lao PDR
aksonethip.somvorachit@undp.org
+856 20 5502 1550
