The new facility was set up as part of the Eliminating Persistent Organic Pollutants Through Sound Management of Chemicals (POPS) project, led by the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy in partnership with the UNDP, and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
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In a significant step towards improving services across the Maldives, a dedicated medical waste management facility has been established at the Baarah Health Centre in Haa Alif Atoll—the first of its kind outside the capital, Malé. This facility marks a critical advancement in sustainable healthcare infrastructure for island communities, where access to comprehensive waste management has been a longstanding challenge.
The new facility was set up as part of the Eliminating Persistent Organic Pollutants Through Sound Management of Chemicals (POPS) project, led by the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy in partnership with the UNDP, and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
Alongside this development, the Health Ministry also received an ICP MS machine capable of testing sediment and heavy metal levels in water, soil, and blood, as well as monitoring air pollution. These steps collectively represent essential progress towards safe, sustainable healthcare and environmental practices within the Maldives, with additional facilities planned in Addu and Raa atolls to further support hazardous waste management. In addition to being a progressive step towards better healthcare practices, the ICP MS machine along with the medical waste management facility can ensure enhanced public health safety by minimising contamination risks, protecting the environment through proper waste disposal that safeguards local ecosystems, and enabling comprehensive health monitoring by detecting heavy metals in blood, soil, and water.
This capability allows for improved water and soil quality assessments, supports research and policy development with accurate pollution data, and reduces reliance on capital-based facilities by offering these services locally, making it an important tool for the Environment Ministry.
