Key Stakeholder Message: Captain Raquib Uddin BN (Retd.)

Captain Raquib Uddin BN (Retd.), Director, PRISM Bangladesh Foundation (PBF): Medical waste management is no longer simply an environmental concern; it is a critical public health and urban governance issue. As Bangladesh continues to urbanize and expand healthcare services, the volume of healthcare waste generated each day is increasing significantly. Ensuring the safe segregation, collection, treatment, and disposal of medical waste is therefore essential to protect healthcare workers, patients, communities, and the environment.

Over the past two decades, PRISM Bangladesh Foundation has worked closely with government institutions, city corporations, healthcare facilities, and development partners to establish and strengthen medical waste management systems across the country. While important progress has been made, substantial challenges remain, particularly in ensuring compliance, strengthening infrastructure, and expanding services beyond major urban centers.

I commend the Bangladesh Urban Health Network (BUHN) for creating a valuable platform that brings together policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and stakeholders to discuss practical solutions for resilient urban health systems. Through stronger public-private partnerships, improved awareness, regulatory enforcement, and sustained investments, we can build safer and more environmentally sustainable healthcare systems for future generations.