Health Care Waste Management in Warangal City

Abstract

Health care waste is produced from a number of activities performed in different areas of health care facilities. If it not disposed properly, poses serious threat to public health and to the environment. Hence an attempt is made to study the present state of health care waste management in Warangal and to determine awareness level, practices and the attitude towards it. This study was done in Warangal city. Category 1, 4, 7 wastes were segregated by 35%, 43%and 30% of the health care centres respectively. The final disposal options were present only in medical college teaching hospital. the management of category 8 waste, the underground drainage system was observed in 55% health care centres. Most of the health care centres not practiced disinfection before final disposal. Out 40 health care centres, 70% were manually transporting the waste to the site of final disposal. Only 30% centres were using containers and trolleys for transportation of waste. 35% health care centres burn the waste in the open field and 42% centres throw the waste indiscriminately around their premises. Only 8% health care centres use incineration as disposal option and another 5% use burial as disposal option. 20% centres dump the waste in public bin.