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Achieving Effective Sharps Waste Management in GAVI Host Countries: A Proposed Approach With Estimates of Costs

This document presents an analysis of safer sharps-waste management activities, including practical options using available or emerging technologies. The analysis includes an estimate of the baseline burden of disease from unsafe injection …

Author: PATH

Publication date: 2006

Andhra Pradesh: Building a Model Immunization System

This report discusses the work of PATH's Children's Vaccine Program and the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh to build a model immunization program, including the incorporation of hepatitis B vaccine into the childhood vaccination program.

Author: PATH

Publication date: 2004

Basic Steps in the Preparation of Health Care Waste Management Plans for Health Care Establishments

This document provides basic steps and a simple and practical approach for the preparation of a health care waste management (HCWM) plan in small, medium, and large health care establishments. This guide aims to assist managers of health care …

Author: World Health Organization

Publication date: 2002

Best Infection Control Practices for Interdermal, Subcutaneous, and Intramuscular Needle Injections

From the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, this article discusses evidence-based guidelines for making injections safer. Abstracts are available in Spanish, French, and Arabic.

Author: Hutin Y, Hauri A, Chiarello L, et al.

Publication date: 2003

Best Infection Control Practices for Skin-Piercing Intradermal, Subcutaneous, and Intramuscular Needle Injections

This leaflet outlines the best practices for safe injections, with pictograms to aid in training. Topics include preventing needlestick injuries to the provider, using sterile equipment, preventing contamination of equipment and medication, and …

Author: World Health Organization, Safe Injection Global Network, and the International Council of Nurses

Publication date: 2001

Building a Protected Sharps Barrel

This document explains how to correctly build a protected sharps barrel for the disposal of medical waste. It includes drawings to assist in construction.

Author: PATH

Publication date: 2006

Building a Protected Sharps Pit

This document explains how to correctly build a protected sharps pit for the disposal of medical waste. It includes drawings for two styles of sharps pits, MSF style and Indonesian style.

Author: PATH

Publication date: 2006

Considerations for Building a Protected Sharps Pit Using a Plastic Barrel as a Pit Liner

This document provides guidelines and steps to consider when constructing a protected sharps pit using a plastic barrel as a pit liner. It also contains a drawing of the completed protected sharps pit to assist with planning.

Author: PATH

Publication date: 2006

The Cost of Unsafe Injections

Unsafe injection practices are associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Annually more than 1.3 million deaths and US$535 million in expenses are estimated to be due to unsafe injection practices. This article, published in the Bulletin …

Author: Miller MA, Pisani E

Publication date: 1999

The Cure That Kills

This paper examines the health risks posed by unsafe injections in Africa and outlines some of the programs that are helping reduce these risks.

Author: Practical Patient Care

Publication date: 2008

Designing Safe Syringe Disposal Systems for Immunization Services

This 30-page manual for program managers helps guide decision-making related to safe syringe disposal at the district level. A range of disposal methods and issues are covered, including practical advice on incineration (with details on two small …

Author: PATH

Publication date: 2003

Developing a Vision for Immunization Supply Systems in 2020: Landscape Analysis Summaries

Facilitated by project Optimize and conducted by a multidisciplinary group of partners, these landscape analyses highlight ongoing work related to five priority areas that comprise the vision for immunization supply systems in 2020. The analyses …

Author: PATH, World Health Organization

Publication date: 2011

Disposal and Destruction of Syringes and Needles in Vietnam and the Philippines

The paper reports on a field trial of disposal and destruction methods (including autocombustion incinerators) in the two countries.

Author: World Health Organization

Publication date: 1998

Effectively Introducing a New Meningococcal A Conjugate Vaccine in Africa: The Burkina Faso Experience

In 2010, Burkina Faso conducted a country-wide campaign to introduce a new Group A meningococcal conjugate vaccine, MenAfriVac™. Leading up to this effort, the following challenges were successfully managed: (1) conducting a large safety study and …

Author: Djingarey MH, Barry R, Bonkoungou M, et al.

Publication date: 2012

Evaluation of a Needle Remover Demonstration Project: A Study From Huong Khe District, Ha Tinh Province, Vietnam

This report discusses the results of a six-month demonstration project in Huong Khe District, Ha Tinh Province, Vietnam, to assess the acceptability, performance, and impact on waste disposal of a manual needle remover introduced at commune health …

Author: PATH; Vietnam National Immunization Program

Publication date: 2007

Evaluation of a Needle-Remover Device and Sharps Barrel in Health Posts in Senegal

This report presents the results of a study to evaluate the Balcan Mini-Destructor needle-remover device and the use of a sharps barrel in health posts in Senegal. The results indicated that the needle removers are acceptable and could bring about a …

Author: PATH

Publication date: 2005

Evaluation of a Retractable Syringe in South Africa: Acceptability, Safety, and Cost Implications

This document reports on an assessment of the acceptability, perception of safety, effect on waste management, and cost implications of using retractable syringes in immunization and curative settings in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. It includes …

Author: PATH

Publication date: 2007

Final Report: Evaluation of Three Reuse-Prevention Feature Reconstitution Syringes in Three Districts of Indonesia

This document reports on the findings of a field evaluation of three World Health Organization-prequalified syringes with reuse prevention features used for vaccine reconstitution during a measles campaign in Lombok, Indonesia. The objective of the …

Author: PATH

Publication date: 2007

“First, Do No Harm”: Introducing Auto-disable Syringes and Ensuring Injection Safety in Immunization Systems of Developing Countries

This document was developed to assist policymakers and program managers in planning the introduction of auto-disable syringes as part of a comprehensive national policy and plan of action to improve injection safety, both for routine immunization …

Author: World Health Organization

Publication date: 2002

For Proper Disposal: A Global Inventory of Alternative Medical Waste Treatment Technologies

This inventory provides a global listing of alternative technologies for the treatment of infectious waste. It is intended for use by health and environment ministries, international organizations, aid agencies, multilateral lending institutions, …

Author: Health Care Without Harm

Publication date: 2007