Medical waste management in Iraq: a case study of Baghdad

摘要

Abstract There is a lack of information about medical waste management in Iraq. This study aims to monitor and evaluate the current situation of medical waste management in Baghdad as it represents the capital and the biggest populated city in Iraq. About 32% of hospitals are located in Baghdad. Ten state-owned hospitals in Baghdad with the biggest bed capacity were investigated. The study used structured interviews with staff in charge of waste management in the sampled hospitals to collect data. The results showed that the generation rate of medical waste in the ten hospitals was 0.5?kg/(bed·day). The study also found that there were insufficient, ineffective, and improper isolation, collection, storing, processing, and safe disposal of medical wastes in the sampled public hospitals of Baghdad. The study recommended that the Iraqi Ministry of Health takes extensive and quick effective measures to better monitor and evaluate medical waste management and provide ongoing training to personnel responsible for waste management in the hospitals.