Conceptual Framework on Hospital Waste Management

According to WHO (2000) hospital waste contain a large range of micro-organism among which is hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV are the most significant pathogens. They also went forward to say that blood borne virus infections may follow sharp injury contamination of pre-existing skin lesions or splash maculation of the eyes of the mucous membranes. The London Hazards Centre Fact

Sheets (2002) stated that diseases such as tuberculosis and E. Coli infections as well as ill-health such as digestive problems including diarrhoea are associated with poor management of hospital waste. He also says that those at risk include nurses, cleaners, handlers, laundry workers, doctors, waste disposal workers, laboratory workers, etc.

Ikelegbe & Ogeah (2003) stated that all work that seeks to minimize the healthy environment and impact of waste management. The problems to a large extent are also a case resource management. He said further that the lack of waste management is also a result of inappropriate design. The result of bad decision making either on the part of the institution responsible or the individuals within the society.

The Pakistan Hospital Waste Management (2005) stated that for effective management of hospital waste, it should be segregated, collected, transported, stored and disposed off in such a way that will not expose the health of workers and the general public to hazards.

Samuel (2007) stated that the problem of improper hospital waste disposal and management in Nigeria in a study in Lagos shows that many workers are at risk from diseases associated with coming in contact with blood, fluid and other forms of hospital waste at work.

According to WHO (2000), all individuals exposed to hazardous health care waste are potentially at risk including those within health care establishments that generate hazardous waste and those outside these sources who either handle this waste or are exposed to it as a consequence of careless handling.

Samuel (2007) observed that the major problems encountered in the management of clinical waste is with storage and the length of time it lays before being collected, absence of hospital guidelines on hospital waste disposal, inadequate personnel protective equipment and improper storage and transportation equipments and lack of safety inspection by environmental health personnel.

LHC Fact Sheet (2002) stated that many workers are at risk from diseases associated with all forms of hospital waste at work. It also stated that work is in place to ensure workers, patients or members of the public are not put at risk.

Patrick (2003) stated that Dioxin poisoning are due to poor and improper disposal or management of hospital waste and that it causes illness of varying degrees affecting the person, worst illness occurred in a five-year boy who suffered an inflammatory bleeding, requiring hospitalization and surgery.

References

Ikelegbe O.O. & Ogeah F.N. (2003). Perception and Response to the Challenges of Environmental Environs Vol. 12 No. 2. Lagos: Functional Publishers.

LHC Fact Sheet (2002). The London Hazard Centre Fact Sheet.

Pakistan Hospital Waste Management (2005). www.phe.org.uk

Patrick K. (2003). Aids and You (3^rd ed.). Owerri Totan Publishers.

Samuel A. (2007). The environmental Waste management and Health Care Interface; Issues and Implications (unpublished)

World Health Organisation (2000). Safe Management of Waste from Health Care Activities. WHO Training Leaflet No. 1. Geneva: Health Care Waste Series.