'Health indicators improving in India'

Expert speaks

The basic health indicators are improving in India and compared to other countries in the South East Asia region, India is ahead in implementing hospital waste management techniques, said World Health Organisation South East Asia Regional Office (New Delhi) Water Sanitation and Health Advisor Payden.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, on the sidelines of the 12th annual conference of Indian Society of Hospital Waste Management- ISHWMCON, at Yenepoya Medical College in Deralakatte on Saturday, she said that creating awareness on hospital waste management plays an important role in the health sector of the country. WHO is helping countries in developing policies and legislations.

“WHO is advocating in different projects, capacity building and also giving training to more than 500 professionals on waste management. With IGNOU, distant learning course has been started and it is entering its seventh year. We are bringing people from other countries to India to give training,” she said.

Challenges

“In South East Asia region, about eight countries have legislation on hospital waste management, which shows that it is moving forward,” she said and opined that awareness among all kind of people who are dealing with hospital wastes is necessary for an effective management of waste.  “This includes doctors, nurses, attenders and even the cleaners who dispose the wastes,” said Payden.

WHO SEAR

The World Health Organisation South East Asia Region (WHO SEAR) consists of 11 countries. They are India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Thailand, Timor-Leste, North Korea, Myanmar and Indonesia. The headquarters of the Regional office is in New Delhi. India is the oldest member in the group, joined in the year 1948, and the latest inclusion was Timor-Leste,  in 2002. Even though the name is South East Asia Region, the members are included from other regions too.