A Study of Hospital Waste Generation and Management Practice in Akure, Nigeria

This study was carried out in Akure, the capital of Ondo State, Nigeria to assess the current practice of hospital wastes management, the magnitude and variety of wastes and the awareness of the stakeholders on the implications of their activities. The composition of wastes found in the 20 healthcare facilities visited included garbage, syringes, swabs, gauze, pads, sharps, paper, glass materials, plastics and allied, clothing materials, wastewater with blood traces and the likes. The results revealed that there is no uniform practice of hospital waste management among the hospitals studied. The study recommended that there should be source segregation of waste within each hospital as all wastes are often mixed in the same waste basket. It further recommended that government and the relevant agents should be at alert to their responsibilities of regulating the waste management practices among the hospitals in the city. Keywords: Diagnosis, Hospital, Infectious wastes, Generation, Segregation, Management, Pathogenic organisms.African Research Review Vol. 2 (3) 2008: pp. 292-30