This technical brief offers a concise overview of the essential components for planning, implementing, and enforcing a National Healthcare Waste Management (HCWM) Strategy with costed roadmap. The safe and environmentally friendly management of waste from the health sector is part of the broader effort to build safe, climate-resilient, affordable and environmentally sustainable health care facilities (HCFs). 

The development, resourcing and implementation of costed roadmaps and programmes in the area of HCWM, in line with economic realities and integrated with national health, Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and other relevant financing efforts, is a declared aim of the WHO UNICEF Global Framework for Action1 2024–2030 (UNICEF/WHO 2024). It aligns with the relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the One Health approach andinternational Conventions like the Stockholm, Basel and Minamata Convention. Furthermore, it provides an operational roadmap for implementingthe 2023 United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution on WASH, waste and electricity in health care facilities (UNGA, 2023).

The generation of waste from health facilities is a growing global concern posing risks for humans, animals and the environment. Non-hazardous and hazardous health care waste categories like infectious, sharp, pathological, pharmaceutical, chemical and radioactive waste must be considered during the development of National HCWM Strategies

Fundamental infrastructure and Management

The resource is included in the following table:

Gavi-iSC-infrastructure

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Gavi-iSC-infrastructure-FR

The resource is included in the following table: