Medical Waste: Environmental Health Hazard in the Northern Part of Bangladesh

Abstract

Introduction: This study explores the types of Healthcare Establishments (HCEs) and their amount and kind of medical waste generation and the types in 27 HCE in Rangpur City Corporation (RCC) area include hospitals, clinics, and diagnostic canters. Private HCE’s providing surgical, obstetrical, dialysis and pathological services were integrated in this survey because they may generate large amounts of transmittable waste and can major source of environmental health hazard. Methodology: Primary data collection methodology was adopted including questionnaire survey, observational approach and formal dialogue session using a Population Proportionate to Size (PPS) stratified plan. Results: The overall mean general waste production rate is 1.7 kg/bed/day at all the surveyed HCE in RCC area which ranged from 0.5 kg to 5 kg/bed/day. The highest amount of infectious wastes generated from the HCE which have surgical facilities about 80 kg/day. The average waste generation rate was 1.5 kg/bed/day. This study suggested that in RCC region most of the private HCE’s employee has no in-depth knowledge about medical waste management in the context of environmental hazard and its management system. Conclusion: In addition, this study also suggested that knowledge on environmental health is a significant issue among the surveyed HCE employees to protect the threat of public health.