Sustainability of hospital waste management practices and its challenges from the perspectives of healthcare employees: The case of Mamprobi Polyclinic-Accra

Abstract

Healthcare waste generation is an integral part of healthcare operations. Improper healthcare waste management and disposal can be detrimental to humans and the environment. This study examined sustainable hospital waste management and its challenges at Mamprobi Polyclinic, Accra. Further to examined the categories of hospital waste; the current methods used for treating and disposing hospital waste and the challenges burdened by the hospital in managing hospital waste in a sustainable way. The target respondents of the study were 150 staff from the polyclinic. A sample size for the study was 150 respondents, chosen using a census method, however 125 respondents answered the questionnaire. The statistical tools used to analyze the study was descriptive statistics which include percentages, mean and standard deviation. Overall, results showed that most of the hospital wastes were infectious. More so, incineration was the current method used to treat and dispose the hospital waste. However, in attempt to manage these hospital waste, findings revealed that the hospital was resource constrained, and that this challenge made it difficult to sustainably manage the hospital waste. Hence, it is evident that infectious waste are more than the non-infectious waste in the hospital, and that the hospital was unable to manage the waste in an effective way. Findings revealed that medical waste generated is treated using the traditional De Montfort medical waste incinerator, and sometimes the polyclinic turn to Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital for assistance. The study recommended that the government should give priority to hospital waste management in the budget so funds can be available to manage hospital waste sustainably. Also, the training of all the staff on management and proper waste handling within the hospitals using WHO guide lines manual, and conducting training sessions for proper hospital waste management.