Assessment of healthcare waste generation rate and management practice in the case of Mizan-Tepi University Teaching Hospital Southwest, Ethiopia

摘要

An institutional-based cross-sectional study design was conducted. Observational checklist, key informant interview, and weight scale were used to assess health care waste management system and generation rate in Mizan-Tepi University Teaching Hospital. Out of the total healthcare waste generated in the hospital, more than half (57.4%) was general or non-risk healthcare waste, and the remaining 42.25% was hazardous healthcare waste. The average total healthcare waste generation rate of the hospital was 6.63 kg/unit/day, 0.08kg/total patient day and 0.306 Kg/bed/day by weight. The wastes were segregated at the source of generation in relation to their types, particularly into the following groups: sharps, infectious wastes, general waste, and pathological wastes. The hospital temporarily stored waste in open and substandard dustbins for about 12 hours. Lack of personal protective apparatus such as heavy-duty gloves, thick-soled boots, and leg protectors were identified as a resource related factor for waste segregation, storage and transportation. A large amount of general waste than pathological waste was generated during data collection time but the composition is far from the WHO recommended amount. Poor waste management practice could be attributed to the shortage of resource. Therefore, action toward proper human and material capability was recommended.