Lebanon Opens Its First Public-Hospital Facility to Treat Infectious Healthcare Waste in Karantina

The Minister of Public Health, Dr. Rakan Nassereddine, and the Minister of Environment, Dr. Tamara Elzein, inaugurated a first-of-its-kind infectious medical waste treatment center at Beirut Governmental University Hospital – Karantina. The center was established at a total cost of USD 2.7 million, through a grant from the European Union under the TaDWIR project, with UNDP providing executive oversight.

In her remarks, Minister Elzein stressed that strengthening the public sector has been a priority since day one, underlining that the state cannot function without its public institutions and administrations. She emphasized that public hospitals remain a vital pillar of national resilience and must be supported and further developed.
Minister Elzein also commended the dedication of hospital management and staff who continued to serve the public despite difficult conditions and the prolonged economic crisis.

Addressing the solid waste management sector, Minister Elzein noted that Lebanon’s waste crisis is not solely technical, but is closely linked to governance, institutional management, and financing. She highlighted the Ministry of Environment’s ongoing efforts to restructure the sector and place it on a more sustainable track through three key pillars:

Adopting a cost-recovery law for solid waste management, in line with the “polluter pays” principle
Updating the National Solid Waste Management Strategy through a 10-year plan covering household, hazardous, and medical waste
Establishing the National Solid Waste Management Authority as an official reference body for oversight and implementation

Minister Elzein concluded by stressing that effective waste management requires sound operations, sustainable financing, and strong monitoring mechanisms, alongside the development of a digital system to enhance transparency and traceability.