A TQM APPROACH TO IMPLEMENTATION OF HANDLING AND MANAGEMENT OF HOSPITAL WASTE IN HOSPITAL

摘要

Bio-medical waste is defined as waste that is generated during the diagnosis; treatment or immunisation of human beings and are contaminated with patients' body fluids (such as syringes, needles, ampoules, organs and body parts, placenta, dressings, disposables plastics and microbiological wastes). Proper disposal of Hospital waste is of paramount importance because of its infectious and hazardous characteristics. The Govt, of India promulgated the Bio-medicat Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 1998 and it became mandatory for Hospital also to comply with the rules and the standards laid down under statutory regulations. The General Manager (Medical Services) gave a directive that proper handling & management of hospital wastes should be implemented by 30/6/2000 the time frame specified by the Govt, of India. A Task force was constituted in Sept. 1999 to implement the Hospital waste management policy and system. The members of the task force consisted of representatives of doctors, nurses, and administration and housekeeping departments. The task force decided to approach the problem and implement the system through Total Quality Management. This article deals with Total Quality Management of the Biomedical wasted. It also provides in detail theprocess of waste management by collecting the source of wastes, analyzing how the wastes can be disposed off.