The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a Grant Agreement (G/A) with the Government of the Republic of Honduras on March 10 in Tegucigalpa for a grant of up to 1.013 billion yen for the “Improvement Plan for Infectious Waste Management”.
In Honduras, infectious waste generated at medical facilities is rapidly increasing due to the spread and prolongation of new coronavirus infection. However, due to a lack of detoxification equipment and collection, transportation, and disposal equipment, infectious waste is being landfilled at final disposal sites, mixed with general waste, and is not being disposed of properly. As a result, there are concerns about the risk of waste-borne infection among medical personnel, waste management personnel, and residents living near disposal sites, and there is an urgent need to strengthen the management system.
In light of this situation, we will install sterilization equipment for infectious waste in 11 of the country’s large national hospitals that have not yet developed plans for detoxification and are expected to operate and maintain them appropriately in the future. In addition, for three local government associations in the rural areas, vehicles for separate collection from medical facilities and heavy machinery and sterilization equipment necessary for landfill management in the dedicated infectious waste compartment of the final disposal site will be installed to strengthen infectious waste management capacity.
This project will contribute to the prevention of waste-derived infections and the dissemination of quality social services in Honduras through the appropriate treatment of infectious waste and the strengthening of sterilization and infection control infrastructure. The project will also contribute to Goal 3 (Health and Welfare for All), Goal 11 (Creating Livable Communities), and Goal 12 (Responsibility to Create and Produce) of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The details of the project are as follows
© Source JICA