Dhaka, Bangladesh, December 15, 2011
—IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) are working with the Bangladesh government and the private sector to help healthcare institutions better manage medical waste, a major public health hazard in the country.
At a workshop on Wednesday, IFC and UNIDO brought together global specialists, representatives from the Ministry of Health, Environment and Local Government, multilateral donors, and the private sector to discuss how the challenge of medical waste can be addressed through public-private partnerships.
“An integral part of our development framework, public-private partnerships in medical waste management can bring greater efficiencies in the sector and improve quality of service,” said Ruhul Haque, Minister for Health and Family Welfare.
Ayumi Fujino, South Asian Regional Director for UNIDO, stressed the importance of public-private partnerships, especially in infrastructure, in boosting economic growth and supporting development. Partnerships in the sector can also help attract more local and foreign investment, she said.
Bangladesh is working to build support for greater private participation in the country’s development through sustainable public-private partnerships.
“IFC is keen to support the government in initiatives that would allow more private participation in public works,” said Indranil Sarkar, Senior Investment Officer for IFC in South Asia. “We believe that the private sector has the potential to help address some of the country’s most pressing development needs.”
The workshop highlighted the benefits of public-private partnerships, which include institutional development, and covered how to design, structure, and tender sustainable projects. Participants also shared case studies of successful projects from across the globe.
About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector. We help developing countries achieve sustainable growth by financing investment, providing advisory services to businesses and governments, and mobilizing capital in the international financial markets. In fiscal 2011, amid economic uncertainty across the globe, we helped our clients create jobs, strengthen environmental performance, and contribute to their local communities—all while driving our investments to an all-time high of nearly $19 billion. For more information, visit
www.ifc.org
.
Stay Connected
