Medical waste management practices in a Southern African hospital
International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance
ISSN: 0952-6862
Article publication date: 13 June 2008
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the medical waste management practices of a hospital in Southern Africa.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study methodology was utilised.
Findings
The results revealed that the hospital does not quantify medical waste. Segregation of medical waste into infectious waste and non‐infectious waste is not conducted according to definite rules and standards. Separation of medical waste and municipal waste is however practiced to a satisfactory extent. Wheeled trolleys are used for on‐site transportation of waste. Off‐site transportation of waste is outsourced to a private firm. Incineration is used in the final disposal of infectious waste. Non‐infectious waste is disposed using land disposal method. There is no policy and plan in place for managing medical waste. A number of problems were identified with respect to medical waste management.
Originality/value
The paper gives recommendations with the aim of improving medical waste management in hospitals.
Keywords
Citation
Aseweh Abor, P. and Bouwer, A. (2008), "Medical waste management practices in a Southern African hospital", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 21 No. 4, pp. 356-364. https://doi.org/10.1108/09526860810880153
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2008, Emerald Group Publishing Limited