Estimating the carbon emissions from a resource-limited surgical suite in Papua New Guinea: The climate change potential.

Abstract

The upscale of surgical service delivery in low to middle income countries will increase health sector greenhouse gas emissions globally. Understanding surgical greenhouse gas emissions from surgical suite activities can direct decarbonization strategies and achieve local, and global climate change objectives. A prospective surgical suite carbon foot print study was conducted at the Alotau Provincial Hospital from the 28th March 2022 to the 28th of May 2022. The total carbon emission for the surgical suite in APH over the study period was 2,665.8 kgCO2e. The average carbon emission per surgical case within the boundary of the surgical suite was 8.4 kgCO2e. Scope one emissions (anaesthetic gases) accounted for 44.7% (1171.3 kgCO2e) of all carbon emissions. If no action is taken, carbon emissions in the western pacific region will continue to increase from surgical suites. Therefore, proactive efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions must be prioritized.