A Climate-Friendly Medical Waste Solution for Tajikistan

On January 30, 2024, in coordination with the Tajikistan Republican Center of Immunoprophylaxis (RCIP) and the World Bank, the USAID Local Health System Sustainability Project (LHSS) procured a modern medical waste shredder for Tajikistan’s Sughd region. Installed at a primary health care facility in the B. Gafurov district, the shredder is only the second medical waste system of this type in the country.  

In 2022, the LHSS Project coordinated with RCIP to complete an extensive medical waste assessment in 23 districts of Tajikistan's Sughd and Khatlon provinces. The objectives were to 1) identify violations of existing laws and develop reasonable risk mitigation measures, and 2) develop an action plan to optimize existing methods of waste disposal or install new systems within medical facilities.  

Using the modern medical waste shredder instead of an ordinary incinerator represents an innovation for Tajikistan. The shredder safely sterilizes medical waste and contributes to USAID’s and Tajikistan’s climate change mitigation efforts by using a process that does not release carbon dioxide emissions or run the risk of contaminating water. 

The new medical waste management system in Sughd region uses non-incineration technology and will protect Tajikistan’s environment. (Photo: USAID LHSS Project/Tajikistan)