Developing an Environmentally Sustainable Model for Health Care Waste Management: A Policy Framework Approach

The current study bridges the gaps and enriches new innovations how to manage waste especially during the pandemic and beyond. This is most challenging for Region XII for as of the current time there is no facility that is functional and accessible to help health facilities manage their hospital wastes. The study determined the healthcare waste management practices of the identified hospitals in Region XII as basis in developing an environmentally sustainable Waste Management Model for Policy Framework. Results revealed that awareness of hospital personnel on waste management was reported to a high extent, waste handling trainings were found to be complied to a high extent, infrastructure facilities were available to a moderate extent, healthcare waste practices were implemented to a high extent and Health Care Waste Management among hospitals was found to be implemented to a high extent but current practices must be instituted and intensified to improve compliance and adherence to health care waste management protocols in the hospitals as mandated by DOH and DENR. Institutionalize a policy framework proposed in this study capsulating all the current trends and practices generated from hospitals to develop an environmentally sustainable healthcare waste management protocols in the context of Region XII.