Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment, and Ms. Randa Aboul-Hosn, UNDP Egypt Country Director, participated in the opening session of the intensive training, which is organized by the Ministry of Environment through the project "Medical and Electronic Waste Management". The project is financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to train trainers on sustainable management of health care waste from 3 to 11 August.

The minister commended the cooperation between the Ministries of Environment, Health and Population. She stressed the importance of establishing an entity that provides accredited certificates for the hazardous medical waste management personnel and expanding the training to all health directorates within the framework of achieving the objectives of sustainable development. She also stressed the significance of supporting the role of youth and the private sector to participate in the field of medical waste management. The training aims at building and upgrading the capabilities of the personnel in the hazardous medical waste management system and the creation of qualified staff to apply best environmental practices and the latest available technologies. In addition to implementing the priorities and strategies of the ministries of health, population and the environment according to international standards.

The training had 60 trainees, including doctors from the Ministry of Health and Population from more than ten governorates, faculty members of university hospitals, nursing schools, inspectors and environmental researchers from the Ministry of Environment (Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency and Waste Management Organization Agency). A distinguished elite, from medical universities professors specialized in the field of safe disposal procedures from medical waste and experts in economic and community development, will speak at the training.

Ms. Randa Aboul-Hosn stressed the importance of handling the health care waste in a scientific and correct manner. Therefore, the importance of training and its materials developed by UNDP and the GEF in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), which is the world's leading reference in this area, after the project experts have re-produced it to consider the nature of work in the health sector in Egypt.

The training program addresses all aspects of the sustainable management of dangerous medical waste, including mercury, starting from separation, collection, storage, transport and final safe disposal of medical waste through incineration or sterilization at various levels including the medical system, nursing staff and workers.

Dr. Tarek Al Arabi, Project Manager, stated that the project will start with the participation of trainees in this course. It will then expand on the national level starting from five health care facilities in Sharkia, Gharbia and Cairo University Hospitals, over the next few months to implement the system of dangerous medical waste management in an integrated manner. The project will provide the necessary financial resources to implement the system at these facilities and supply mercury-free medical devices. The project will also set-up two central treatment stations to treat all dangerous medical waste generated in Al Gharbia Governorate, which is operated by the system of shredding and sterilization.