Hospital Waste Management in Hospitals of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan

Abstract

Hospital Waste (HW) constitutes a special category of waste because they contain potentially infectious materials. The problem of how to manage HW has become one of critical concerns in developing countries. The present study was conducted to evaluate the awareness regarding different constituents of wastes, their handling, treatment and disposal methods in different hospitals of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Four (4) hospitals, 2 Government and 2 Private Hospitals were surveyed using a modified survey questionnaire for hospital waste management. This questionnaire was designed in the light of regulation of Sindh Hospital Waste Management Rules 2014, established by Government of Sindh, with the aim of implementing these rules in healthcare processing systems for HW handling, treatment and disposal. As result, hazards associated with poor HW management and shortcomings in the existing system were identified.

Keywords— Hospital waste disposal, Waste management, Biohazardous Waste, Infectious waste, Segregation, Incineration, Sindh Hospital Waste Management Rules 2014,

DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/9-12-06

Publication date:June 30^th 2019