An Analytical, Economical and Environmental Study For Medical Waste Management ((Case Studies))

Abstract

 Since Medical waste management is one of the main environmental problems in Libya, this study covered four case studies by selecting the largest four hospitals located in the eastern part of Libya: (ELFATEH HOSPITAL, ELJALA HOSPITAL, ELTHOURA HOSPITAL, and ELBETNAN HOSPITAL). This study has been carried out during the period between September 2003 to July 2004.

Aims of this study are:

• To assess the basic problems in managing the hospital waste properly.
• To perceive whether the wastes of hospitals are channeled properly and safely.
• Observe the environmental hazards, health effects and environmental economic costs of the medical waste.

The data have been collected by using special questionnaire, personal observation, and interviews. Two types of questionnaire are used one for medical staff (doctors, nurses, technicians) and the second for workers (cleaners, wipers, handling).

The main results of this study indicate that all the selected hospitals have poor skills about medical waste management as its followings show:

• The workers have poor education about medical waste impacts, so there were many injuries due handling of sharp waste.
• Many patients infected by another infection when staying in hospitals as a result medical waste miss management.
• Many patients stayed in there beds more than the expected period as a result of medical waste miss-management.

At the end of this study the main recommendation of this study is to urge a drastic improvement in the scientific methods of medical waste management based on collection, segregation, transportation, and treatment.