Abstract
Purpose
The Covid-19 pandemic and other outbreaks have increased the use of single-use materials, negatively impacting the health of populations and the environment. Humanitarian organizations are starting to include the question of products’ end-of-life management into their strategies, especially as it improves the resilience capacities of humanitarian responses.
Design/methodology/approach
It uses a comparative case study built on several interviews to highlight the differences and similarities between the two contexts. In addition, the paper provides concrete resilience indicators enabling organizations to measure the level of resilience of their initiatives to allocate their efforts and resources better.
Findings
The results showed that context particularity, and the lack of governmental engagement are the main obstacles to the efficient implementation of medical waste management. They also highlighted that humanitarian organizations enhance their resilience by giving concrete advantages to the organization’s members and the local workers, as well as expanding internal capacities, and integrating a long-term approach.
Research limitations/implications (if applicable)
Although the study is limited geographically, it be expanded to other areas like the pharmaceutical and medical sectors.
Practical implications (if applicable)
This project can help humanitarian organizations take action to build durable systems in unstable countries and open new views on the utility of sustainable practices as a strategic asset in enhancing innovation.
Originality
This paper demonstrates how medical waste management positively affects operations’ efficiency, and ultimately supply chain resilience, in two highly disruptive environments, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
Keywords: Medical waste management, humanitarian supply chain, environmental sustainability, resilience
The Covid-19 pandemic and other outbreaks have increased the use of single-use materials, negatively impacting the health of populations and the environment. Humanitarian organizations are starting to include the question of products’ end-of-life management into their strategies, especially as it improves the resilience capacities of humanitarian responses.
Design/methodology/approach
It uses a comparative case study built on several interviews to highlight the differences and similarities between the two contexts. In addition, the paper provides concrete resilience indicators enabling organizations to measure the level of resilience of their initiatives to allocate their efforts and resources better.
Findings
The results showed that context particularity, and the lack of governmental engagement are the main obstacles to the efficient implementation of medical waste management. They also highlighted that humanitarian organizations enhance their resilience by giving concrete advantages to the organization’s members and the local workers, as well as expanding internal capacities, and integrating a long-term approach.
Research limitations/implications (if applicable)
Although the study is limited geographically, it be expanded to other areas like the pharmaceutical and medical sectors.
Practical implications (if applicable)
This project can help humanitarian organizations take action to build durable systems in unstable countries and open new views on the utility of sustainable practices as a strategic asset in enhancing innovation.
Originality
This paper demonstrates how medical waste management positively affects operations’ efficiency, and ultimately supply chain resilience, in two highly disruptive environments, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
Keywords: Medical waste management, humanitarian supply chain, environmental sustainability, resilience
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Proceedings of the NOFOMA Annual Conference 2023 : Logistics during global crises |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Publication date | 16.06.2023 |
| Pages | 1-16 |
| Publication status | Published - 16.06.2023 |
| MoE publication type | A4 Article in conference proceedings |
| Event | 35th Annual NOFOMA Conference 2023: Logistics during global crises - Aalto University, Espoo, Finland Duration: 14.06.2023 → 16.06.2023 Conference number: 35 https://blogs.aalto.fi/nofoma2023/ |