Assessing the effectiveness of medical waste management strategies; a case study of Mwanza district, Tanzania:
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Date
2010-07
Authors
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Kampala International University, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Abstract
Medical wastes are highly infectious and hazardous wastes that may carry pathogens of
dreadful diseases hence its management is vital not only because human health is
important but also quality of the environment has to be kept into consideration.
Mismanagement of Medical waste implies combinations of improper handling of wastes
during generation, collection, storage, transport and treatment or disposal. However
proper strategies for effective management are still the problem in urban areas and are
becoming a potential public health risk and an environment burden as well.
A study was guided by four objectives aiming on identifying strategies existing,
effectiveness of identified strategies, challenges associated with medical waste
management and to find out measures to those challenges in medical waste management,
where a number of sixty (60) respondents were included and categorized into doctors,
nurses, waste department members, private waste collectors companies and local
communities where by methods such as interview, questionnaires and observation were
used to collect information regarding waste management.
Results showing that the identified strategies used to manage medical wastes were
frequent collection, privatization, waste separation, waste treatment and incineration as
well as to train workers. And their effectiveness seen was such as improves sanitation and
quality of environment, improves health of local communities, controls diseases and
reduction of wastes volume.
However there some challenges that facing medical waste management these were high
operational costs, human population increase, inadequate facilities for medical waste
management, poor medical waste management technologies, poor government policy and
planning, lack of disposal sites and lack of education and awareness among waste
handlers.
On the other hand the following were recommendations made for the effective medical
waste management strategies such as increase budgeting, increase stakeholders
participation, encourage public education and awareness, appropriate information and
technology in medical waste management and emphasizing training to waste handlers.
Description
a dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for award of a bachelor of science degree in environmental management of Kampala international university.
Keywords
Waste Management, medical waste management, Mwanza district, Tanzania