Medical waste management systems have been successfully installed and officially handed over across 21 islands in the Maldives, marking the completion of a significant project aimed at enhancing public health and environmental safety.
A ceremony held last Wednesday in Dhiffushi, Kaafu Atoll, celebrated the culmination of the initiative, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with the substantial financial assistance of the Government of Japan.
The project in the Maldives is part of a broader USD 4.4 million regional effort by UNDP, supported by Japan, to establish safe waste management facilities within the health sector across Southwest Asian countries between 2022 and 2025. In the Maldives, these new facilities in 21 health service centres are designed to ensure the safe disposal of medical waste, safeguarding both human health and the fragile island environment.
Following the project's completion, the UNDP formally handed over the facilities to the Government of Maldives. Speaking at the ceremony, Minister of Health Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim lauded the initiative, stating, that the investment will further strengthen the health service, ensure the safety of the environment and provide better health services throughout the country.
The handover ceremony included buildings specifically dedicated to health sector waste management, along with clean energy vehicles and safe waste disposal equipment. In a comprehensive upgrade, the project also supplied 65 electric tricycles for efficient waste collection, and significantly bolstered digital infrastructure with 270 computer systems and 40 network switches. Additionally, essential medical equipment, including ECG machines and autoclave machines, were provided to various islands.
A crucial component of the initiative involved training 656 health workers on safe waste management practices, ensuring sustainable operation of the new systems. Additional services are also planned as part of the ongoing commitment to strengthen health infrastructure in the Maldives.