One of the most difficult things any hospital, clinic or medical center has to deal with is their waste management. Hospitals in Dubai generate approximately 21.5 tons of medical waste per day including both general and biomedical waste. Even if Dubai has an integrated waste management strategy, healthcare waste is a serious problem for global health. Most of the health care equipment including gloves, syringes, IV bags, medicine or vaccine bottles etc. are made of plastic or other non-degradable materials. This is harmful to the environment and even manufacturing these results in the disposal of many harmful chemicals on earth.  Here is the relevance of sustainable medical equipment.
Sustainable medical equipment is made of eco-friendly materials and focuses on promoting sustainable practices in medical devices. Healthcare sector has been avoiding or delaying the implementation of sustainable medical equipment for many reasons including the negative perception about recycling of infectious materials, higher cost involved in sourcing alternative materials instead of light weight plastic and getting regulatory approvals for these materials and even small changes in the designs etc. but increasing concern over the environmental hazards the world is facing leads to the execution of sustainable practices in the medical field.

According to the UN World Commission on Environment and Development, “Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. As one of the most leading medical equipment suppliers in Dubai, Lifecare Biomed realizes the importance of promoting sustainable practices and are ready to equip the healthcare industry with eco-friendly medical equipment to adopt greener alternatives for patient care.

So how do we substitute traditional medical equipment?

After much research and experiments we now have better materials than plastic which are also biodegradable. So, we can use gloves, packaging, waste bags etc. which are biodegradable made from natural materials that rapidly decompose.

There are many other equipment that are reusable like, reusable IV bags, surgical drapes, bottles, thermometers, razors and other instruments etc. but we must implement strict protocols and methods to sterilize and reuse them.

Instead of using chemical based cleaning products, use of non-toxic environment friendly cleaners should be promoted also use steam sterilization which uses fewer harmful chemicals and maximizes energy efficiency

Promote use of Energy-efficient medical devices that lower power consumption and reduce operational expenses. Choose energy Star-rated HVAC systems that improve energy efficiency and decrease greenhouse emissions.

Instead of using physical records, use electronic health records (EHRs) that minimise paper waste and enhance data accessibility.

Choosing a sustainable way of life in every sector is not only going to help our future generations, it will help us save a lot. The shift towards reusable medical supplies and the adoption of water and conservation strategies are vital measures to reduce their ecological impact. Embracing these sustainable practices not only reduces environmental concerns but also delivers measurable benefits such as cost efficiency, enhanced air quality, and improved health outcomes for personnel and patients. Hospitals play a very important role in our society, and setting a good model of sustainable practices will play a significant role in global environment preservation.