Medical Waste Management at Sebha Medical Center in Sebha Hospital

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study examined the medical waste management practices of Sebha Medical Center Hospital. The researcher made use of both primary and second data. Since this was a is study, the analysis is essentially descriptive. In Sebha Medical Center Hospital does not quantify medical waste. Segregation of medical wastes into infectious medical waste and non-infectious medical waste is not conducted according to definite rules and standards. The hospital does not label infectious waste with Biohazard symbol. Separation of medical waste and municipal waste is however practiced to a satisfactory extent. Wheeled trolleys are used for on-site transportation of waste from the points of production (different wards) to the temporary storage area. Staff responsible for collecting medical waste use almost complete personal protective equipment. The results of this study indicated that off-site transportation of the hospital waste is undertaken by a private waste management company. Waste is transported daily and small pickups are mainly used by the waste management company for transporting the waste to an off-site area for treatment and disposal. The final disposal of the medical waste is done by the private waste management company. The main treatment method used in the final disposal of infectious waste is incineration. Non-infectious waste is disposed of using land disposal method. The hospital does not recycle medical waste materials except white office paper and mixed office paper and the use of empty containers of antiseptics for the collection and temporary storage of sharps. III The hospital does not provide training for staff members on the health and environmental effects of infectious waste. The waste management company's workers have also not received any formal training with regards to medical waste management. Sebha Medical Center Hospital does not have a policy and plan in place for managing medical waste. There is no definite policy or plan for purchasing the necessary equipment