EVALUATION OF BIO-MEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN A TERTIARY

Background: To protect human beings and their environment from various hazards due to hospital wastes, its management practices should be implemented and evaluated regularly in the hospital. Aims & Objectives: (1)To assess the current hospital waste management practices adopted by the wastes management supervisors and wastes handlers in a tertiary care hospital of Western Uttar Pradesh; (2) To determine the awareness regarding waste management practices among wastes handlers in the hospital; (3) To assess the preventive measures provided and used by wastes handlers in the hospital. Materials and Methods: The study was carried out during April-June, 2013. Data was collected about hospital waste management practices, preventive measures adopted by hospital waste handlers using pretested schedule. Results: The hospital generates average wastes of 1.32 kg/bed/day. Out of 30 places, only19 (63.33%) places were there in the hospital with all four coloured bins placed properly. Out of total 109 handlers, 69 (63.30%) were aware about hospital waste handling hazards. And out of total aware handlers, majority i.e. 52 (75.36%) were males. Conclusion: The hospital should train, educate and immunize its health care staff and the waste management system should be evaluated intermittently