Kathmandu Hospitals Leave Medical Waste Handlers Unprotected

At Kathmandu’s two largest public hospitals, the staff who sterilize and sort medical waste by hand say they go without paid sick leave, functioning equipment, or hazard pay, despite routine exposure to HIV, hepatitis, and tuberculosis.

Deepa (name changed), with a white gown, hair cap, gloves, and boots, stands inside the unit. She has worked at Paropakar Maternity and Women’s Hospital (PMWH) for 11 years. Every day, she and her colleagues sort through piles of medical waste: used gloves, syringes, stained cotton pads, plastic tubing, and masks. Materials that carry risks beyond what can be seen.