Kathmandu — Since 2010, Health Care Foundation Nepal (HECAF) and Health Care Without Harm, supported by the World Health Organisation, have been working with the leadership and staff of Bir Hospital to transform their healthcare waste management.
Where all the waste- apart from that scavenged by rag-pickers- used to go untreated into the municipal system, now the hospital recycles the majority of the non-infectious waste, biodigests food residues and disinfects the remainder safely.
While HECAF led the project, trained the hospital staff and oversaw the implementation from day to day, HCWH has worked closely with them and provided technical expertise on issues from validating the disinfection processes, reporting, biodigestion and chemical disposal. This short video, by filmmaker Russ Pariseau, gives a brief snapshot of the phenomenal progress they have made.