Country Project
Timor-Leste
HEALTHCARE WASTE MANAGEMENT PROJECT TO IMPROVE LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT OF HEALTHCARE WASTE IN 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
Browse through all the news & updates related to this project
Project resources
Browse through all the resources published from this project.
Research Report
Timor-Leste National Waste Audit Analysis Report
This Waste data collation, analysis and reporting for the Timor-Leste National Waste Audit Analysis Report was guided by the overarching Regional Waste Data Collection, Monitoring, and Reporting (DCMR) Framework for the Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICT).
General
Mid-Term Evaluation PacWaste Plus Programme – Timor-Leste Project Evaluation Brief
The Pacific – European Union Waste Management (PacWaste Plus) Programme has completed an external Mid-Term Evaluation. The evaluators from NIRAS International Consulting have produced a suite of products highlighting the Mid-Term Evaluation findings. This country brief highlights the mid-term review findings for the Timor-Leste PacWaste Plus project.
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.
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.