In a bid to bolster environmental sustainability and combat climate change, the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) is set to roll out guidelines aimed at fostering clean practices and promoting climate action in hospitals across the country.
Recognizing the significant environmental footprint of healthcare facilities, NABH’s initiative underscores the pivotal role of the healthcare sector in mitigating environmental degradation and advancing sustainable development goals. Citing hospitals as major contributors to biomedical waste and disposables, NABH officials emphasize the urgent need for adoption of sustainable practices to minimize environmental impact and enhance resource efficiency. The forthcoming guidelines are poised to address key areas such as biomedical waste management, a critical aspect of hospital operations that warrants stringent oversight and regulatory compliance. By integrating sustainability criteria into its accreditation assessments, NABH aims to incentivize hospitals to prioritize climate resilience and environmentally responsible practices. The move aligns with global efforts to promote climate-resilient healthcare systems, as underscored by the World Health Organization’s guidance document on climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable healthcare.
Furthermore, NABH’s emphasis on climate action and sustainability is underscored by recent environmental challenges, including cyclones and heatwaves, which underscore the urgent need for resilient healthcare infrastructure. The incorporation of climate action and sustainability criteria into NABH’s accreditation standards reflects a proactive approach towards addressing emerging environmental threats and fostering adaptive capacity within the healthcare sector. The COVID-19 pandemic served as a stark reminder of the importance of effective biomedical waste management, highlighting gaps in waste segregation and disposal practices in healthcare settings. NABH’s initiative seeks to address these challenges by enhancing awareness and promoting best practices in biomedical waste management, thereby minimizing public health risks and environmental pollution. As part of its commitment to promoting sustainable healthcare practices, NABH aims to drive widespread adoption of clean practices and climate-resilient strategies across the healthcare sector. By empowering hospitals to embrace sustainability principles, NABH envisions a future where healthcare facilities play a pivotal role in advancing environmental stewardship and ensuring a healthier, more sustainable future for all.
