Biomedical waste management practices at a paediatric tertiary care hospital of Kashmir valley

Abstract

Introduction: In healthcare settings, where patient care is carried out, a certain type of waste is generated which has the potential to put humans and environment to the risk of infectious diseases and environmental pollution respectively. Objectives: The present study has been embraced to survey the information regarding Bio-Medical waste among the staff a tertiary care paediatric hospital in Kashmir valley (J&K). Materials and Methods: Paediatric hospital associated with GMC Srinagar was visited by a team of public health specialists. A total of 25 interviews were conducted in which five doctors, five staff nurses, five pharmacists, five laboratory technicians and five sanitary personnel participated. The data was acquired from the respondents through a pre-outlined pre-tested survey questionnaire with respect to Biomedical Waste Management and Handling guideline 2016. Results: The awareness and knowledge about current BMW guidelines 2016 was highest among Laboratory technicians and sanitary personals. The sanitary personals had also better awareness about existing operational guidelines in the hospital and proper waste disposal methods. Conclusion:The sanitary personals and laboratory technicians were seen to be great in theoretical knowledge of rules, legislations and public health importance of BMW management rules 2016. While for doctors and nursing staff, the reverse was true.

Knowledge in Spill Management among Trained and Untrained Healthcare Workers in the Government General Hospital, Kakinada, India

“…In the present study, the overall awareness on the availability of Spill Management Kit was 30.20%. Similar finding has been reported in a study done in Jammu and Kashmir (2). High awareness on availability of Spill Management Kit among Group 2 subjects (51.06%) may be attributed to the fact that they are responsible for the indent and maintenance of these kits.…”

“…Health is the foremost need and concern of any population throughout the world. Health care settings are places to restore health (1).In Health care settings like primary, secondary or tertiary care , in the process of patient care different types of wastes are generated which have the potential to put humans at risk of infectious diseases (2).…”

“…In a study done among health care personnel in a pediatric tertiary hospital in Kashmir valley, only 37.5% participants are aware of availability of blood spill kits in the hospital (2).…”