Assessing the Knowledge and Practice of Solid Medical Waste Management among Private Hospitals in Port Harcourt, Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Effective medical waste management is essential for protecting public health and the environment. The study examined private hospitals in Port Harcourt metropolis and their medical waste management practices with special interest in their handling procedure and technique(s) used. World Health Organisation (WHO) standard proceedures via segregation at source, using coloured coded containers, Storage for 24hours e, treatment and disposal through autoclaving or incineration were mployed to ascertain their management practice. The study data were collected through questionnaire administration, interviews and field study. Twenty hospitals which provide services for low, middle and high income earners were randomly selected for this study in Port Harcourt City and Obio-Akpor local government areas, in Rivers State Nigeria. The results for the minimum and maximum wastes generated over 7 days as weighed from a facility in each LGA were 15.8kg/67.0kg (Obio-Akpor LGA) and 25.1kg/101.5kg (Port Harcourt City LGA) respectively. The mean waste generated for all the facilities was 40.1kg. Analysis showed a significant non-compliance to World Health Organization (WHO) standard proceedures. The findings reveal that the procedure for medical waste management were inadequate with the use of a central waste collection method, thus indicates that these hospitals fell below the recommended waste management practices as prescribed by WHO. The high generation of medical waste in the study area is a proof that medical waste management is problematic. Based on the findings, it is recommended that an awareness sensitization be created to achieve better medical waste handling and forestall a sustainable environment.