Healthcare waste management in selected government and private hospitals in Southeast Nigeria

ObjectiveTo assess healthcare workers' involvement in healthcare waste management in public and private hospitals.MethodsValidated questionnaires (n = 660) were administered to randomly selected healthcare workers from selected private hospitals between April and July 2013.ResultsAmong the healthcare workers that participated in the study, 187 (28.33%) were medical doctors, 44 (6.67%) were pharmacists, 77 (11.67%) were medical laboratory scientist, 35 (5.30%) were waste handlers and 317 (48.03%) were nurses. Generally, the number of workers that have heard about healthcare waste disposal system was above average 424 (69.5%). More health-workers in the government (81.5%) than in private (57.3%) hospitals were aware of healthcare waste disposal system and more in government hospitals attended training on it. The level of waste generated by the two hospitals differed significantly (P = 0.008 6) with the generation level higher in government than private hospitals. The materials for healthcare waste disposal were significantly more available (P = 0.001) in government than private hospitals. There was no significant difference (P = 0.285) in syringes and needles disposal practices in the two hospitals and they were exposed to equal risks (P = 0.851 0). Fifty-six (18.5%) and 140 (45.5%) of the study participants in private and government hospitals respectively were aware of the existence of healthcare waste management committee with 134 (44.4%) and 19 (6.2%) workers confirming that it did not exist in their institutions. The existence of the committee was very low in the private hospitals.ConclusionsThe availability of material for waste segregation at point of generation, compliance of healthcare workers to healthcare waste management guidelines and the existence of infection control committee in both hospitals is generally low and unsatisfactory.