Grenada Benefits from Integrated Biomedical Waste Management Training under the OECS Regional Health Project

The Project is focused on health system strengthening in the Region by supporting improvements in health facilities and laboratory capacities, strengthening public health surveillance and emergency management, institutional capacity building, project management and coordination, and contingency emergency response.

The workshop was held on January 11, 2023, in St. George’s, Grenada.  The aim was to enhance awareness and build capacity among key stakeholders in the health sector on the policies, procedures and practices regarding the safe handling and disposal of biomedical waste in health facilities. Fifty-four (54) representatives from Government Ministries, the Solid Waste Management Authority of Grenada and managers of local waste management companies are now better equipped to implement biomedical waste management practices. This translates to the implementation of strategies to ensure that health facilities are compliant and environmentally responsible, uphold environmental safety measures that protect both staff and patients, and improve operational efficiency and overall health.

Regional and international partners such as the OECS Commission, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the World Bank, also attended the workshop. It was facilitated under the technical guidance of Dr. Martin Forde, Consultant, Biomedical Waste Management.

At the conclusion of the workshop, participants were trained to:

• explain the intent of the establishment of a biomedical waste management system
• describe international regulations that govern the handling of biomedical waste 
• understand the areas of biomedical waste management generation, segregation, storage and collection, transportation and treatment, and final disposal
• identify approaches to waste minimisation
• conduct a medical waste analysis