Carbon emissions from surgical ward activities in Alotau Provincial Hospital, Papua New Guinea: a prospective carbon footprint study

Introduction This study investigated the surgical ward carbon emissions from Alotau Provincial Hospital in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Methods A surgical ward carbon footprint study was conducted from 1 December 2023 to 1 January 2024. The Greenhouse Gas Protocol was applied to estimate the carbon emissions. Emissions were reported as kilogram of carbon dioxide equivalents (kgCO2e). Results Over the study period, the surgical ward emitted approximately 2341.6 kgCO2e with an average carbon emission of 33.9 kgCO2e per patient. Conclusion Surgical ward activities contribute to hospital-based carbon emissions. As such, there is a need to develop climate change health policies in PNG to address health sector-related carbon emissions.