Solvoz and IDA outcomes greening medical supplies study

Published on 2022-09-20 11:15:26Sustainability

Outcomes of collaborative Malaria RDT sustainability study available

News

In line with our ambition to create more sustainable value chains, IDA recently started a special partnership with Solvoz, to explore ways in which the use and disposal of malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) can be made more sustainable. The outcomes of this study, focused on Greening Medical Supplies, are now available.

In our role as a wholesaler of medical products (pharmaceuticals and medical supplies), IDA Foundation distributes large volumes of RDTs to various locations around the world, which contribute to the saving of millions of lives each year. However, as a single-use product, the use of RDTs also results in a significant amount of solid medical waste. Such waste requires specialised management in order to avoid potential negative repercussions for the local and wider environment.

In response to a lack of available information as to how RDTs waste is currently managed, we worked together with Solvoz to determine common RDTs disposal practices within low- and middle-income countries and NGOs as well as investigating the potential for greener product alternatives to the types of RDTs that are widely used today.

Based on the findings of this study, Solvoz developed a set of sustainability criteria that characterise the sustainability of malaria RDTs and that can now be used by a range of organisations to facilitate greener approaches to humanitarian procurement.

Please check out the Solvoz video below to gain a quick overview of the outcomes of this innovative partnership project.

If you’d like to review the more detailed findings then please get in touch with us (ftoxopeus@idafoundation.org) to access the outcomes report, or discuss ways in which we can work together to green humanitarian procurement.