Healthcare waste management toolkit for global fund practitioners and policy makers: Rational for environmental safeguard policies and strategies

This document is the first part of a toolkit for environmental safeguarding of GF grants. The toolkit is intended to help to reduce risks from the generation and disposal of HCW, especially the disposal of unwanted or unused pharmaceuticals, potentially infectious waste and other hazardous waste. Part A of the toolkit will help decision makers to understand why environmental safeguarding should be a standard in the planning and execution of any GF programme. Part B is intended to provide support in decision making on which waste stream concept and strategy shall be applied, taking into account the country context. Part C will provide support for the planning and implementation of safeguard strategies for GF grant practitioners including the budgeting for waste management as a standard component for each grant. The findings of four country assessments of UNDP administered GF grants in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Zimbabwe informed the development of the toolkit.