Originally published in aljazeera.com on 2 June 2020

Experts say more resources and public awareness are urgently needed in Bangladesh to ensure discarded medical waste does not make the coronavirus pandemic worse.

Now, it is at risk of being hit hard by a “sudden onslaught” of single-use medical plastic.

Around 250 tonnes of medical waste was generated by hospitals last month, and sanitation workers often lack the protective gear to keep them safe from COVID-19.

Al Jazeera’s Tanvir Chowdhury reports from Dhaka, Bangladesh.