AN ASSESSMENT OF HOSPITAL WASTES MANAGEMENT IN AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL (ABUTH) SHIKA – ZARIA KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

AN ASSESSMENT OF HOSPITAL WASTES MANAGEMENT IN AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL (ABUTH) SHIKA – ZARIA KADUNA STATE, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

The study is on the assessment of hospital waste management in Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Shika-Zaria, Nigeria. Human activities generate wastes, some are harmful and others not so harmful to man and the environment. Of concern however, are hospital wastes which come in the form of hazardous wastes such as chemical, radioactive, pathological and anatomical wastes amongst others. Carefree handling and disposal of hospital wastes has effect both directly and indirectly on staff, patients and environment. The aim of the study is to identify the gaps in current practices of hospital waste management in ABUTH Zaria in line with international best practices. The study objectives are to determine the types of wastes generated in the hospital; to ascertain the attitude of workers towards hospital waste management; to examine the effects of hospital waste on workers; to assess the challenges faced by hospital authorities in managing hospital wastes; and lastly to find out the safety measures put in place to safeguard the health of hospital workers in ABUTH Zaria. The study employed structural functionalist theory, particularly that of Talcott Parson‘s four functional imperatives for all ‗action‘ system with reference to his AGIL scheme. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed for the study with questionnaire as the quantitative instrument, while in-depth interview and observation were utilized as the qualitative methods. A checklist was also used to compare practices on waste management in ABUTH in line with those recommended international best practices. Three hundred and forty seven (347) copies of questionnaire were administered but 290 were retrieved and analyzed and ten (10) key informants were interviewed. The findings of the research revealed that the hospital generates two types of wastes: municipal solid wastes and special healthcare wastes which in most cases are mixed up without proper segregation into different color coded containers with specified biohazard symbol as being recommended by the international best practices. The attitudes of workers towards hospital wastes management practices in the study revealed that majority of the respondents were of the view that waste management is a collective responsibility of each and every hospital workers but despite this assertion, almost half of the hospital workers were not satisfied with the attitude of workers towards waste management. Some of the workers of which are mostly women reported that cuts and piercing of needles are the major occupational hazard they sustained as a result of improper wastes segregation while on the nature of waste related diseases, it was found that fever and allergic skin diseases are the major diseases they suffered from as a result of being exposed to improper wastes management. In general, the wastes treatment method is poor as reflected in the disposal of solid wastes in open space without incineration which gives room for scavengers most of whom are children from the neighbouring village, whose health implication cannot be overemphasized. The study found out that there is no existing laid down waste management policy, neither is there record of special training for waste handlers. However, while there is special budget for waste management which the Public Health Unit oversees, there are limited personal protective equipments for the hospital workers. In view of this, the study recommends that a policy on waste management be put in place, monitored and enforced by the government. Also, personal protective equipment be provided and workers should imbibe the culture of proper waste management that is in line with international best practices. Also, injuries should be reported to appropriate hospital authority, where prompt action should be taken to avert the threat of spread of disease or infection. Finally there is need for more enlightenment campaign on waste management.

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