Survey Sheds Light on Community Awareness and Practices in Healthcare Waste Management

The Philippine Healthcare and Mercury Wastes Management Project (HCW Project) recently conducted a Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) survey to evaluate community awareness on healthcare waste management. The survey, which covered Quirino Memorial Medical Center (QMMC) in Quezon City (NCR), Cagayan Valley Medical Center (CVMC) in Tuguegarao City (Region II), and Eastern Visayas Medical Center (EVMC) in Tacloban City (Region VIII), involved 923 respondents, including hospital patients, visitors, and local community members. These hospitals were among the most impacted by the surge in healthcare waste during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Findings presented during a forum for International Zero Waste Month on January 17 revealed regional differences in awareness and practices. Across the three hospitals, respondents generally demonstrated an understanding of waste segregation and management programs, but awareness levels varied. Notable gaps included insufficient knowledge and misconceptions about hazardous waste disposal and waste minimization practices.

QMMC respondents within the hospital demonstrated higher awareness and positive attitudes, supported by initiatives such as material recovery, waste treatment facilities, rainwater collection, and urban gardening for composting. In contrast, barangay communities near QMMC exhibited limited understanding, with significant gaps in knowledge about hazardous waste disposal and waste minimization.

Challenges identified included uncollected hospital waste, inadequate color-coded bins, and improper disposal practices in surrounding areas. These issues underscore the need for enhanced education, improved infrastructure, and more accessible information materials. Encouragingly, many respondents expressed a willingness to participate in awareness programs, citing healthcare providers and barangay leaders as their preferred sources of information.

“Assessing community awareness is essential to identify and address gaps for long-term sustainability,” said Jam Lorenzo, Deputy Executive Director of BAN Toxics and Manager of the HCW Project. “The HCW Project aims to strengthen awareness, improve local systems, and promote sustainable practices to mitigate the environmental and health risks of healthcare waste.”

To address these findings, the HCW Project plans to collaborate with stakeholders, including local government units, healthcare providers, and community leaders, to implement targeted awareness campaigns and sustainable interventions. These efforts will focus on improving waste segregation, minimizing waste, and developing more efficient management systems.

The HCW Project, officially launched in December 2023, is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB), with BAN Toxics as the executing entity. A national workshop on January 31 will mark the launch of the project’s five-year program on environmentally-sound healthcare waste management.