A Study on Management of Healthcare Waste in Health Care Facilities in Nakuru East Sub-County, Nakuru County

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ABSTRACT

The proper handling of medical wastes is very imperative. There are defined set rules for handling medical wastes, unfortunately, laxity and lack of adequate training and awareness in the execution of these rules leads to injuries and diseseses spread by improper handling of these wastes. The study conducted was on management of healthcare wastes in health care facilities in Nakuru east sub-county, Nakuru county. Objectives of the study were to identify major types of wastes generated by health facilities, to find out methods of wastes collection in facilities, investigate the method of waste disposal in different facilities and to find out the level of environmental health and awareness. The study adopted descriptive crossectional design utilizing quantitative method of data collection. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 55 health care personells comprising of doctors, clinical officers, nurses, lab technicians, public heath officers, and support staff who were involved in waste management. Structured questionnaires were given out for quantitative data. The collected data was analyzed using Microsoft excel software, then presented using tables accompanied by appropriate explanations. The study concluded that the type of waste generated in the study area was well collected, segregated but the method of transportation and disposal was very wanting. It also concluded that the support staff needed to attend seminars and be taught on health care waste management awareness since they were not conversant with all types of wastes and the type of bin liners needed for segregation of each waste. The study recommends that each health facility should at least be provided with a small scale incinerator to avoid piling up of wastes in their institutions since the only working incinerator had broken down one year ago. The study further recommends that regular workshops should also be held in order to educate the health workers on hospital waste and its management.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Declaration.................................................................................................................................ii

Dedication..................................................................................................................................iii

Acknowledgement.....................................................................................................................iv

Abbreviations.............................................................................................................................x

Definition of terms....................................................................................................................xi

ABSTRACT.............................................................................................................................xii

CHAPTER ONE........................................................................................................................1

1.0 INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................1

1.1 Problem statement...............................................................................................................3

1.3 Study justification................................................................................................................4

1.4 Objectives.............................................................................................................................5

1.4.1 Broad objectives................................................................................................................5

1.4.2 Specific objectives.............................................................................................................5

1.5 Research questions...............................................................................................................6

1.6 Limitation of the study........................................................................................................6

CHAPTER TWO.......................................................................................................................7

2.0 Literature Review................................................................................................................7

2.0.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................................7

2.1 Types of wastes generated...................................................................................................7

2.2 Methods of waste collection and disposal..........................................................................8

2.3 Environmental health and awareness................................................................................8

CHAPTER THREE.....................................................................................................................10

3.0Methodology........................................................................................................................10

3.1Study Area...........................................................................................................................10

3.2 Study design.......................................................................................................................10

3.3 Study population................................................................................................................10

3.4 Inclusion criteria................................................................................................................10

3.5 Exclusion criteria...............................................................................................................10

3.6 Sampling procedure...........................................................................................................11

3.6.1Sample size determination..............................................................................................11

3.7 Sampling technique...........................................................................................................12

3.8 Data collection tools...........................................................................................................12

3.9 Data collection method......................................................................................................12

3.10 Pretesting..........................................................................................................................12

3.11 Validity and Reliability...................................................................................................12

3.12 Data analysis.....................................................................................................................12

CHAPTER 4.................................................................................................................................13

4.0 DATA ANALYSIS, PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION............................13

4.1 Introduction........................................................................................................................13

4.2 Response rate of the respondents.....................................................................................13

4.3 Demographic Data.............................................................................................................13

Table 1: current population in the study area......................................................................13

4.4 Hospital level (tier) of the respondents............................................................................14

4.5 Department/ Work unit.....................................................................................................14

4.6 Period of working in the facility.......................................................................................15

4.7 Number of patients attended to per day..........................................................................15

4.8 Separate containers for collection of waste.....................................................................16

4.9 Location of the container..................................................................................................16

4.10 Condition of the containers.............................................................................................17

4.11 Storage facility.................................................................................................................17

4.12 Personal protective equipments......................................................................................18

4.13 Complaints against method of waste disposal...............................................................18

4.14 Environmental problems in relation to method of waste management......................19

4.15 Improvement of the surrounding area..........................................................................19

4.16 Level of awareness by the staff.......................................................................................20

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4.17 Rating of waste management in the institution.............................................................20

4.18 General waste/Non infectious waste...............................................................................21

4.19 Infectious waste................................................................................................................21

4.20 Highly infectious waste....................................................................................................21

4.21 Radioactive waste.............................................................................................................22

4.22 Chemical wastes...............................................................................................................22

4.23 Sharps...............................................................................................................................22

4.24 Frequency of emptying container...................................................................................22

4.25 Handler.............................................................................................................................22

4.26 Means of transport..........................................................................................................22

4.27 Treatment method...........................................................................................................22

4.28 Disposal method...............................................................................................................23

CHAPTER FIVE.........................................................................................................................24

5.0 DISCUSSION.....................................................................................................................24

5.1 Summary of Findings........................................................................................................24

5.2 To identify major types of wastes generated by health facilities..................................24

5.3 To find out the methods of wastes collection in health facilities...................................24

5.4Investigate the methods of waste disposal in different health facilities...................24

5.5To find out the level of environmental health and awareness...................................25

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CHAPTER SIX............................................................................................................................26

6.0 Conclusion and Recommendations..................................................................................26

6.1 Conclusion..........................................................................................................................26

6.2 Recommendations..............................................................................................................26

References.................................................................................................................................27

Appendix 1................................................................................................................................28

Questionnaire...........................................................................................................................28

Appendix B...............................................................................................................................33

Work plan.................................................................................................................................33

Appendix C...............................................................................................................................34

Budget.......................................................................................................................................34

Appendix D...................................................................................................................................35

A Map of Nakuru Town East Constituency..........................................................................35

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A Study on Management of Healthcare Waste in Health Care Facilities in Nakuru East Sub-County, Nakuru County

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