Preparation of technical guidelines on healthcare waste management in Pacific Island Countries and areas

BACKGROUND

Medical waste is also called as health care waste or clinical waste. It refers to any waste generated by health care facilities which constitutes (a) sharp wastes; (2) infectious waste – waste suspected to contain pathogens and poses a risk of diseases transmission; (3) pathological waste including human tissue, organs or fluids or blood; (4) pharmaceutical waste; (5) chemical waste and (6) a small amount of cytotoxic waste and radioactive waste.

The principle of medical waste management is to avoid the exposure of the hazards which are presence in the waste streams – biological (bacteria, virus etc.), chemical (reactive, explosive or  corrosive agents) and physical hazards (such as sharps which cause injuries); and secondly is to minimize or mitigate the potential magnitude of the hazards such reducing the concentration, volume or toxicity of the hazards. Hence, the management of health care waste is the management of its risks and hazards.

All medical waste produced from the health care facilities, particularly during the care of COVID-19 or other infectious illnesses patients and contacts should be (1) segregated, (2) stored and (3) collected safely in designated containers and bags, and (4) treated and final disposal through a safe waste disposal system.

1. Segregation – waste must be segregated at source between medical waste and general waste. Medical waste should be further segregated into at least the following – (a) infectious waste such as blood, body parts and body fluids; (2) sharps and syringes; (3) pharmaceutical waste both liquid and solid expired or damaged drugs and medicine.
2. Storage – once segregated, all health care waste should be temporarily stored or kept in proper storage bags, containers or boxes with specific colour and labelled to avoid mixing the medical waste with the general waste. General waste which is mixed with medical waste shall be considered as medical waste and should follow the medical waste stream;
3. Collection and transport – waste which are stored in bags and containers shall be transported or collected temporarily to a central storage area or to the disposal site within or outside the compound of the health care facilities. Specific pre-treatment to the waste may be needed especially if the waste is highly infectious;
4. Final disposal – this is the final journey of waste. Various systems and technologies are available including thermal or non-thermal systems. The most common technology for thermal treatment is incineration and non-thermal technology includes microwave, autoclave or controlled or engineered landfill.

In preparation to the risks and hazards caused by COVID19 contaminated waste and safe management of COVID19 vaccines waste in the Pacific, WHO and possibly also other donor agencies have provided the essential supplies for the management of HCW in the Pacific. These include all supplies in the following aspects:

1. Supplies for storage of HCW in wards, outpatient clinics – medical waste bags, safety boxes ec; (2) supplies storage of HCW outside wards or outpatients clinics – bigger containers and willie-bins; (3) supplies for transportation of HCW within and outside the premises of the healthcare facilities; and (4) supplies for final disposal of HCW – burning and non-burning technologies, landfill and other waste disposal systems;

It is necessary for the responsible teams who received these supplies to fully understand the principles and functions of these supplies – so that they are properly and effectively used or operated. The healthcare waste teams should also be able to monitor progress of the supplies given and identify the problems and propose way forward to ensure the sustainability of the HCWM in their countries.

PURPOSE/SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THE ACTIVITY

Under the supervision of Team Coordinator Pacific Climate Change and Environment (PCE) and guidance of the Incident Manager of the Pacific COVID19 Joint Incidence Management Team (JIMT), the purpose of the consultancy is as follows:

1. To prepare the technical guidance or/and explanatory notes of the procurements or supplies to manage the healthcare waste (HCW) to address COVID19 in the Pacific Island Countries and areas (PICs), which include amongst other (1) all supplies for storage of HCW in wards, outpatient clinics – medical waste bags, safety boxes etc; (2) all supplies for storage of HCW outside wards or outpatients clinics – bigger containers and willie-bins; (3) all supplies for transportation of HCW within and outside the premises of the healthcare facilities; and (4) all supplies for final disposal of HCW – burning and non-burning technologies, landfill and other waste disposal systems;
2. In addition to the above, the consultant may also be required to prepare other technical guidance which are specifically needed by PCE or JIMT or by Member States to address HCW;
3. Conduct webinars on the technical guidance which have been developed either in group or with specific request on certain aspects by Member States
4. Prepare mechanisms and tools to monitor and evaluate the implementation of HCWM supplies to address COVID19 in PICs

DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT

As specified above the activities are as follows;

1. To prepare the technical guidance or/and explanatory notes of the procurements or supplies to manage the healthcare waste (HCW) to address COVID19 in the Pacific Island Countries and areas (PICs), which include amongst other (1) all supplies for storage of HCW in wards, outpatient clinics – medical waste bags, safety boxes etc; (2) all supplies for storage of HCW outside wards or outpatients clinics – bigger containers and willie-bins; (3) all supplies for transportation of HCW within and outside the premises of the healthcare facilities; and (4) all supplies for final disposal of HCW – burning and non-burning technologies, landfill and other waste disposal systems;
2. In addition to the above, the consultant may also be required to prepare other technical guidance which are specifically needed by PCE or JIMT or by Member States to address HCW;
3. Conduct webinars on the technical guidance which have been developed either in group or with specific request on certain aspects by Member States
4. Prepare mechanisms and tools to monitor and evaluate the implementation of HCWM supplies to address COVID19 in PICs

The outputs are as follows:

Output 1: Templates of technical guidance on various aspects of HCWM supplies and equipment to PICs

• • Deliverable 1.1: template documents on technical guidance on various aspects of supplies and equipment for PICs

Output 2: Draft technical guidance or/and explanatory notes of the procurements or supplies to manage the healthcare waste (HCW) to address COVID19 in the Pacific Island Countries and areas (PICs), which include amongst other (1) all supplies for storage of HCW in wards, outpatient clinics – medical waste bags, safety boxes ec; (2) all supplies for storage of HCW outside wards or outpatients clinics – bigger containers and willie-bins; (3) all supplies for transportation of HCW within and outside the premises of the healthcare facilities; and (4) all supplies for final disposal of HCW – burning and non-burning technologies, landfill and other waste disposal systems

• • Deliverable 2.1: Draft technical guidance or/and explanatory notes of the procurements or supplies for storage of HCW in wards, outpatient clinics – medical waste bags, safety boxes etc
• • Deliverable 2.2: Draft technical guidance or/and explanatory notes of the procurements or supplies for storage of HCW outside wards or outpatients clinics – bigger containers and willie-bins;
• • Deliverable 2.3: Draft technical guidance or/and explanatory notes of the procurements or supplies for final disposal of HCW – burning and non-burning technologies, landfill and other waste disposal systems
• • Deliverable 2.4: Other technical guidance or/and explanatory notes required by WHO to address COVID19;

Output 3: webinars on the technical guidance which have been developed either in group or with specific request on certain aspects by Member States;

• • Deliverable 3.1: conducted webinars on the technical guidance which have been developed either in group or with specific request on certain aspects by Member States

Output 4: draft M&E tool to monitor and evaluate the implementation of HCWM supplies to address COVID19 in PICs.

• • Deliverable 4.1: a draft tool to monitor and evaluate the implementation of HCWM supplies to address COVID19 in PICs.

METHODS TO CARRY OUT THE ACTIVITY

This work will be done as follows:

1. Prepare the templates of the technical guidance
2. With reference to the specific supplies and equipment on HCWM which have been identified for PICs, develop the specific technical guidance of each supply or equipment.
3. If needed, prepare other technical guidance on other supplies or equipment which are need by the Team Coordinator PCE or Incident Management JIMT or Member States;
4. Conduct webinars on the technical guidance which have been developed either in group or with specific request on certain aspects by Member States
5. Prepare a tool to monitor and evaluate the implementation of HCWM supplies to address COVID19 in PICs.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

EDUCATION

Essential:  Post-graduate degree in Environmental and Health Sciences

Desirable: Post-graduate degree in environmental engineering, environmental science, public health

EXPERIENCE

Essential: Work experience in healthcare waste management

Desirable: Have work experience working in healthcare waste management in developing countries

TECHNICAL SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE

Experience in technical report writing

LANGUAGES

Good command in English (spoken and writing)

COMPETENCIES

• • Culturally sensitive;
• • Team worker;
• • Communicating in a credible and effective way; and
• • Producing results.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

This work can be done remotely, although it is preferable to work at the WHO Office in Suva, Fiji. If working remote, the applicant must have a stable internet connection to allow teleconferences remotely with WHO and Member States.

In addition, the selected Consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

• Starting date: 8 March 2021
• Duration of contract: 20 days

APPLICATIONS

Qualified and interested specialists should submit their CV {for individual contractors} or Company Profile {for institutional applications} and Expression of Interest {cover letter} to the Supply Officer through WP RO UNGM at < wproungm@who.int > by 27 February 2021. 

The cover letter should outline how their experience and qualifications make them a suitable candidate for this position and should include their proposed daily consultancy fee and availability.

Please use Tender Notice No. 122400 as subject to all submission. Only successful candidates will be contacted.