Solid waste management in hospitals: A comparative assessment in some selected hospitals in Obuasi Municipality of Ghana

Abstract

The types of waste generated in hospitals as well as the management practices adopted by the hospitals for the disposal and treatment of the waste have become an issue of great concern to both local authorities and the public. This research aimed at assessing solid waste disposal and management practices of some selected hospitals in the Obuasi Municipality of Ghana. Three hospitals in Obuasi were selected for the study. The names of the hospitals are represented with the letters A, B and C. The objectives of the study were to know the types of waste generated in the hospitals, quantify the waste generated during the study period and compare the solid waste management practices adopted by the hospitals with the Health Care Waste Management guidelines (HCWM) of the Ministry of Health (MoH), Ghana. Relevant data and information were obtained for four weeks in the selected hospitals concurrently. Results from the study showed that hospitals generate plastics, papers, putrescible waste and hazardous waste. In terms of waste quantities, a total of 2,260.95 kg of waste were generated in the three hospitals during the study period. Plastic waste was 495 kg (21.89%), papers were 398.7 kg (17.63%) and putrescible wastes were 788.15 kg (34.86%) and 579.1 kg (25.61%) of the waste was hazardous waste.The waste management practices adopted by the hospitals were below standard. Although some proper waste collection was carried out, no waste sorting, processing or treatment was done. Two of the hospitals had contracted Zoomlion Ghana Limited to dispose their waste at the landfill site whiles the other hospital disposes of the solid waste in an open pit and burn the waste as well. Observation made during the study was that most of the waste management staff had low educational backgrounds and therefore have a low understanding of proper waste management practices as well as low remunerations. Comparisons made between the hospitals in terms of their waste management pratices and the MoH guidelines on Health Care Waste Management (HCWM) show that the hospitals do not adhere to the guidelines and standards. The study recommend that regulatory authorities enforce strict adherence to standards and effective monitoring of waste management practices in health facilities to safeguard public health and environmental safety. • More putrescible waste were generated in the hospitals (788.15 kg) (34.86%) than hazardous waste (579.1 kg) (25.61%). • The waste management practices adopted by the hospitals were below standard; no waste treatment, sorting or processing was of waste was done. • Most of the waste management staff had low educational backgrounds and hence lower understanding of proper waste management practices. • The hospitals do not adhere to the Health care waste management guidelines, and standards.