The Operating Room Global Centre For Education, Research and Innovation.

Call for Interest: Global Multicentre Research Collaboration

Study Title:
A Multicentre Audit of Waste Segregation Practices in Operating Rooms Across Low- and Middle-Income Settings (SEG-OR Study)

Led by:
The Operating Room Global (TORG)

Background

Operating rooms are a major contributor to healthcare waste, with a significant proportion incorrectly classified as biohazard waste. This misclassification increases environmental burden and disposal costs, particularly in resource-limited settings.

The SEG-OR Study aims to generate the first large-scale multicentre evidence on waste segregation practices across low- and middle-income settings.

Aim

To evaluate waste segregation practices in operating rooms and quantify the extent of waste misclassification.

Study Design

• Multicentre observational audit
• Short data collection period (2-4 weeks per site)
• No external funding required
• Simple, standardised data collection

We Are Recruiting for the Following Roles

We are building a global collaborative research team and invite expressions of interest for:

1. Project Lead(s)

• Coordinate overall study execution
• Oversee timelines and site engagement

2. Protocol Development & Ethics Team

• Develop the study protocol
• Lead ethics submissions (multi-site adaptable templates)

3. Data & Analysis Team

• Design data collection tools
• Lead data cleaning and statistical analysis

4. Manuscript Writing Team

• Draft, review, and finalise manuscripts for publication

5. Site Leads/Data Collectors

• Coordinate data collection at local centres
• Ensure data quality and timely submission

What Participating Centres Will Do

• Register as a participating site
• Collect simple observational data on waste segregation practices
• Submit anonymised data via a centralised tool

Authorship

Authorship will follow the principles of the
International Committee of Medical Journal Editors

• Contributors will be recognised based on level of involvement
• Opportunities for co-authorship and collaborative group authorship will be provided

Who Can Participate?

• Hospitals and surgical centres (LMIC focus)
• Multidisciplinary operating room teams
• Clinicians, trainees, and researchers
• Individuals interested in sustainability and global surgery

No prior research experience is required for site participation.

Timeline

• Expression of Interest Deadline: 30.04.2026
• Team Formation & Protocol Development: May 1-8th
• Ethics Submission: May 11-15th
• Data Collection: July 2026
• Analysis & Manuscript Writing: August 2026
• Publication: September 2026

Ethics & Regulatory Considerations

This study is classified as a low-risk, non-interventional audit.

• An overarching ethical review will be obtained through The Operating Room Global Institutional Review Board (TORG-IRB)
• Many institutions may classify this as audit/service evaluation and may not require full ethics approval
• Where required, local ethics submission will be supported with templates and guidance
• Participating centres will be responsible for confirming local requirements and obtaining local clearance where applicable.

How to Express Interest

Please complete the Expression of Interest form: click here

For queries:
[email protected]