Public Health Risks from Mismanagement of Healthcare Wastes in Shinyanga Municipality Health Facilities, Tanzania

Abstract

The increase of healthcare facilities in Shinyanga municipality has resulted in an increase of healthcare wastes, which poses serious threats to the environment, health workers, and the general public. This research was conducted to investigate management practices of healthcare wastes in Shinyanga municipality with a view of assessing health risks to health workers and the general public. The study, which was carried out in three hospitals, involved the use of questionnaires, in-depth interview, and observation checklist. The results revealed that healthcare wastes are not quantified or segregated in all the three hospitals. Healthcare wastes at the Shinyanga Regional Referral Hospital are disposed of by on-site incineration and burning and some wastes are disposed off-site. At Kolandoto DDH only on-site burning and land disposal are practiced, while at Kambarage UHC healthcare solid wastes are incinerated, disposed of on land disposal, and burned. Waste management workers do not have formal training in waste management techniques and the hospital administrations pay very little attention to appropriate management of healthcare wastes. In light of this, it is evident that management of healthcare solid wastes is not practiced in accordance with the national and WHO's recommended standards.

Health care waste management among health workers and associated factors in primary health care facilities in Kampala City, Uganda: a cross-sectional study

“…In this study, most health workers wore appropriate (PPE) which is a good practice since it minimises risk of contact with the waste. Our findings did not corroborate with findings of a cross sectional study conducted in a Tanzanian Municipality in which most health workers did not wear appropriate personal protective gear [40]. The low usage in the aforementioned study was attributed to the fact that health workers were not provided with protective gear by their employees.…”

Efficiency of Health Care Risk Waste Management in Rural Healthcare Facilities of South Africa: An Assessment of Selected Facilities in Vhembe District, Limpopo Province

“…This study identifies doctors as being the main category of healthcare profession more culpable in the mixing of HCRW, like other previous, similar studies [9,27,28] and uncovers the reason for this finding, as the attitude of doctors towards training on HCRW management: many doctors do not accept a responsibility of waste management as a part of their job description in their capacity as HCRW generators [19], therefore, they do not place any priority on attending trainings on HCRW management. Meanwhile the HPCSA recommends continual training for healthcare workers to keep themselves up to date with the latest scientific knowledge on the management of HCRW [10].…”

Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Tanzania: Current Status and Challenges

“…The Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children (MoHCDGEC) has published several guidelines on IPC in which extensive instructions on proper hand washing, surgical hand preparations, use of gloves, injection safety, safe cleaning of equipment, and sharps disposal have been provided [ 78 ]. In spite of this, the knowledge and practice of these safety measures among HCWs vary considerably in the country with excellent performances being observed in some areas [ 79 , 80 ], while others exhibit substandard practice [ 81 , 82 ]. All in all, in order to achieve consistently safe practices, continuous training on IPC in HCWs is necessitated.…”