Following the COVID-19 outbreak, medical facilities worldwide grappled with a pressing challenge: the safe disposal of infectious waste.  

For Firouzgar Hospital in Iran, the COVID-19 crisis posed a substantial challenge - an abrupt surge in infectious medical waste. The hospital struggled to manage the escalating demand for superior waste disposal solutions, exacerbated by a shortage of equipment.  

Enter Dr. Diyanati, whose lifelong commitment to environmental sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of hospitals had already led to pioneering initiatives such as the construction of sewage treatment plants and waste disposal stations and the introduction of innovative environmentally friendly waste treatment devices.  

In the midst of the pandemic, Dr. Diyanati's drive for innovation led him to seek a partnership with UNIDO, The Foreign Economic Cooperation Office of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of China (FECO), and the Iranian government. With financial support from the China International Development Cooperation Agency, non-combustion autoclaves were installed at Imam Khomeini and Firouzgar Hospitals, processing four metric tons of waste daily within just four months. The autoclaves - machines that use steam under pressure to kill harmful bacteria, viruses, fungi and spores on items that are placed inside - helped combat COVID-19 while preventing the harmful release of pollutants into the atmosphere. Additionally, the project provided training and produced guidebooks to facilitate the replication of sustainable waste management practices. 

"The topic of infectious waste, mainly during COVID-19, was one of the major challenges of health centres," recalls Dr. Diyanati. "Our colleagues in the Ministry of Health, with the cooperation of UNIDO, and the supplier "Gient", procured two sets of autoclaves for Iran, one of which was installed in this hospital, and which can assist to a great extent in the disposal of infectious waste." 

Dr. Diyanati's forward-thinking leadership and environmental awareness were crucial in implementing innovative medical waste solutions in Iran's healthcare system. Thanks to UNIDO's support, cutting-edge autoclaves were supplied to selected hospitals, a vital step in ensuring both effective and eco-friendly medical waste disposal. 

Project name: Emergency response assistance to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the Islamic Republic of Iran.