COLLECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF MEDICAL WASTE FROM CLINIC

Activities directly related to medical examination and treatment activities, medical waste from clinic need to be handled and managed strictly according to regulations, especially infectious hazardous waste. Violations of regulations can be fined up to VND 1 billion.

1. To minimize medical waste

The clinic must take the following measures:

– Procuring, installaing, and using supplies, equipment, tools, drugs, chemicals, and other raw materials and materials appropriate to usage needs.

– Innovating equipment and processes in medical professional activities and other measures to minimize the generation of medical waste.

– Having measures, road-maps and implement restrictions on the use of single-use plastic products and non-biodegradable plastic bags to minimize the generation of plastic waste.

– Classifying plastic waste for recycling or treatment according to legal regulations.

2. To collect medical waste

– Infectious waste:

+ Regulate appropriate flow and collection time of infectious waste to limit impact on patient care areas and other areas in the clinic.

+ Waste collection tools must be sealed and must not leak waste during the collection process.

+ Infectious waste must be collected separately from the place of generation to the temporary waste storage area in the medical facility. Before collection, waste bags must be tightly sealed and waste containers must have tight lids.

+ Waste with a high risk of infection must be preliminarily treated near the place of waste generation to remove pathogens with disinfection equipment. If there is no waste sterilization equipment, before collecting waste bags with high risk of infection, the mouth of the bag must be tied tightly and continued to be placed in a second infectious waste bag, tied tightly and put in the bag. Infectious waste collection bins, the outside of the bins are labeled “HIGHLY RISK OF INFECTIOUS WASTE”, which are collected and stored separately in the infectious waste storage area for treatment or transfer to competent units. ability to handle according to regulations;

+ Liquid infectious waste is collected into the clinic’s medical wastewater collection system and managed according to regulations.

+ Frequency of collecting infectious waste from the place of generation to the waste storage area within the medical facility campus at least once a day. In case the amount of infectious waste generated is less than 05 kg in a day, infectious waste is collected at least once a day, sharp infectious waste is collected at least once a month.

– Non-infectious hazardous waste:

+ Must be collected and stored separately in the waste storage area in the clinic.

+ Broken, damaged, and discarded medical equipment containing mercury are collected and stored separately in plastic boxes or suitable materials, ensuring no leakage or dispersion of mercury vapor. released into the environment.

– Regular solid waste: regular solid waste used for recycling and regular solid waste not used for recycling are collected separately.

– Non-hazardous liquid waste: non-hazardous liquid waste is collected into the wastewater collection system of the medical facility and managed according to regulations on medical wastewater management.

– Exhaust gas must be treated to remove disease-causing microorganisms before being discharged into the surrounding environment.

– Wastewater collection:

+ The wastewater collection system must be a closed system and ensure the collection of all wastewater generated in the clinic;

+ Medical wastewater is collected and treated according to the provisions of law.

3. Records of waste management

– The clinic must keep according to regulations, which must keep the following records at the facility:

– Environmental permit and documents, records, and documents related to the environment according to regulations (if subject to applying for an environmental permit).

– Medical waste delivery book; hazardous waste documents (if any).

– Logbook of construction, equipment, and medical waste treatment system operations (for medical facilities that treat their own waste).

– Related inspection and examination records (if any).

– Report on annual results of medical waste management; Report results of periodic waste monitoring (if any).

– Other related documents as prescribed.

>> DOSSIERS FOR ISSUANCE OF DOCTOR MEDICAL PRACTICE CERTIFICATE https://linconlaw.vn/dossiers-for-issuance-of-doctor-medical-practice-certificate/

>> PROCEDURES FOR RE-ISSUANCE OF ENTERPRISE REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE https://linconlaw.vn/procedures-for-re-issuance-of-enterprise-registration-certificate/

4. Does a medical facility have to assign someone to manage medical waste?

Pursuant to Clause 3, Article 15, Circular 20/2021/TT-BYT stipulates that medical facilities are responsible for:

– Implementing medical waste management according to the provisions of this Circular and other relevant legal documents;

– Assigning medical facility leaders to be in charge of medical waste management; Arranging specialized staff for medical waste management; assign tasks to the Infection Control Department or departments, divisions, and divisions in charge of medical waste management; Arrange people from the medical facility or coordinate with outside units to operate works, equipment, and medical waste treatment systems in accordance with task requirements (for medical facilities). self-treatment of waste);

– Developing a medical waste management plan or integrate it into the annual general operating plan of the medical facility; allocate funds to implement medical waste management;

– Identifying types of waste generated from medical facility operations to apply appropriate management measures according to the provisions of this Circular;

– Implementing requirements on plans, measures, and equipment to prevent and respond to environmental incidents caused by waste according to the provisions of law (including treatment plans in case of medical waste). unusually increased danger due to epidemics or force majeure reasons);

– Organizing training, education, communication and dissemination to officials, employees and relevant subjects of regulations on medical waste management;

– Reporting on the results of medical waste management according to the provisions of Article 13 of this Circular.

Thus, according to the above regulations, in the responsibility of implementing regulations on medical waste management, medical facilities are responsible for assigning medical facility leaders to be in charge of medical waste management. economic; Arrange specialized staff for medical waste management.