The Ministry of Health (MS), through the Directorate-General of Hospital Services, in collaboration with development partner UNICEF, has introduced Steriliwave (microwave) technology to improve the safe and sustainable management of healthcare waste in hospitals in Timor-Leste.
Director-General (DG) of Hospital Services at MS, Raimundo dos Santos, said that microwave technology has many advantages compared with incinerators because it can treat infectious waste without creating smoke or airborne pollutants.
“The microwave mechanism uses heat and evaporation to kill microbes, bacteria and viruses in healthcare waste, unlike incineration systems, which can produce smoke and pollution. This technology does not have a negative impact on the community, healthcare personnel or patients,” DG Raimundo said at Guido Valadares National Hospital (HNGV), Dili.
He explained that the technology allows infectious waste to be placed in a container and then undergo a high-temperature heating process to kill dangerous organisms before being disposed of at a landfill.
He said that through this process, the risk of contamination to the community and the environment can be significantly reduced.
He also said that the government, with financial support of nearly USD 800,000, has installed the equipment at HNGV and other regional hospitals. At HNGV, the machine has a capacity of up to 250 litres and can treat a minimum of 40 kilograms of waste at a time, while machines at regional hospitals have a capacity of around 100 litres.
On the other hand, UNICEF Representative in Timor-Leste Patrizia DiGiovanni said that the partnership with the government is very important to improve the quality of health services, particularly for vulnerable populations.
“This equipment will allow infectious waste to be treated more safely and in an environmentally friendly way, reducing risks to healthcare professionals, patients, waste workers and the community living near hospitals,” Patrizia said.
She said that UNICEF’s support is not limited to providing equipment but also includes installation, training for technicians and technical support over the next two (2) years to ensure proper operation and maintenance.
She said that UNICEF has also helped rehabilitate healthcare waste storage facilities at five (5) referral hospitals, including the construction of a new facility at HNGV to ensure safe and organised waste management.
In addition, she expects the implementation of Steriliwave technology to be an important step in strengthening Timor-Leste’s health system, protecting public health and the environment, and improving working conditions for healthcare personnel in the future.
