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Country Project Timor-Leste

HEALTHCARE WASTE MANAGEMENT PROJECT TO IMPROVE LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT OF HEALTHCARE WASTE IN TIMOR-LESTE

The National Directorate for the Environment under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Environment and the Ministry of Health seek to utilise PacWastePlus funds to implement several interconnected activities.

Project Description

Current Situation
The exposure to wastes generated in health care facilities has direct health impacts on the community, the personnel working in healthcare facilities, and the environment. Poorly handled medical wastes by health care professionals, and waste management personnel have led to an elevated chance of disease and sickness. Improper management of healthcare wastes (through open burning) on land adjacent to hospitals is leading to large areas of contaminated land, unusable for other purposes, and in need of remediation.

What is the Timor-Leste Project About?
The Timor-Leste country project seeks to:
• create a national policy for the management of healthcare wastes that support local hospital healthcare waste management planning
• enhance capacity building leading to proper planning for healthcare waste handling and disposal, support for waste transport infrastructure, and the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and
• undertake the clean-up of soils/debris from the improper disposal and land surface burning of medical waste in the fields adjacent to Baucau Hospital

Future Situation
Land and water pollution caused by contaminated burn fields at Baucau Hospital is no longer an issue due to the removal of waste from those burn fields. Inappropriately managed healthcare waste from Guido Valadares National Hospital (Dili); Baucau Referral Hospital (Baucau); Maliana Referral Hospital (Maliana); Suai Referral Hospital (Suai); and Maubisse Referral Hospital (Maubisse) is eliminated as hospital healthcare waste management plans are enacted.

Latest news & updates

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News

National Waste Management Guideline developed for Timor-Leste

A guideline that provides practical advice to assist authorities in the delivery of effective waste management practices in Timor-Leste has been developed. Following a direct request from the Timor-Leste Government, the PacWastePlus Programme provided assistance with the development of the National Waste Management Guideline. To ensure it is easily understood...

Timor-Leste
1 min read

News

Timor Leste MoH delivers National Healthcare Waste Management Training

The SPREP implemented and EU-funded PacWaste Plus programme at the request of the Ministry of Health in Timor Leste, developed and delivered Healthcare Waste Management Training for hospital staff throughout the country.   The training was designed for those who are responsible for implementing both the waste management strategy and...

Timor-Leste
2 min read

News

Timor-Leste Progresses Baucau Hospital Improvements

The PacWastePlus programme, in collaboration with the National Directorate for the Environment and the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Timor Leste, is improving long-term healthcare waste management through the construction of specialised facilities and the development of sustainable waste management practices in hospitals. Baucau Hospital has recently been the focus...

Timor-Leste
2 min read
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Project resources

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Research Report

Plastic Pollution Prevention in Timor-Leste: Gap Analysis of Current Legislation, Policies, and Plans

This report aims to provide insight into Timor-Leste's capacity to implement plastic pollution reduction measures by providing a gap analysis of its current legislation, plans and policies. This report was prepared by Els Steenhagen, Researcher Associate, Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources, The University of Newcastle, Australia; Dr Sascha Fuller, Pacific Engagement Coordinator, Research and Innovation Division, University of Newcastle, Australia; Associate Professor Trisia Farrelly Massey University Political Ecology Research Centre [PERC], New Zealand; Dr Stephanie Borrelle, Birdlife International; and Dr Ana Rengel-Goncalves, Newcastle Law School, The University of Newcastle, Australia.

Timor-Leste
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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Develop a National Healthcare Waste Strategy for the period  of 2021-2026
  • Execute removal of contamination caused by historic open burning of healthcare waste at Baucau hospital.
  • Create and execute regional hospitals healthcare waste plans to better handle, control and dispose of health care waste.

PacWaste conducted a healthcare waste management baseline survey in April 2014; the survey identified the need for improved storage, treatment, and disposal solutions for healthcare waste across the country. There is a significant need to complement complete previous works and support the implementation of sustainable waste management in Timor-Leste’s healthcare industry.

  • National Healthcare Waste Strategy Existed and properly applied to the National, Regional, and Municipality Hospitals.
  • Significant improvements in healthcare waste management, execution of policies, and awareness-raising of properly healthcare waste disposal practices.
  • Totally free from contaminated infection diseases as part of proper disposal practices.