Assessment of Covid-19 waste management Practices in hospitals of Kathmandu Valley, 2021.
Bista. Pariwesh Raj.
Assessment of Covid-19 waste management Practices in hospitals of Kathmandu Valley, 2021. - c2021. - ix.34p.
Thesis Report.
SUMMARY:
Introduction: The onset of Covid-19 pandemic has led to the increase in production of healthcare wastes in health centers. Covid-19 wastes being more infectious, will further add to the adverse effects of improper waste management practices; which include potential health and environmental risks. As per national and international guidelines, the Covid-19 related wastes need separate treatment, including segregation, collection, transportation, storage and disposal. With the limited research conducted on the topic till date, this research will study whether the criterion in these guidelines is included in the waste management practices by the hospitals providing Covid-19 related services in Kathmandu Valley. The outcome of this research will put forward the overview of practices by the hospitals regarding waste management and will also provide a baseline for the individual hospitals to improve their existing waste management practices.
Rationale: Although policy and guidelines have been established for the treatment and disposal of infectious waste from health care facilities, compliance to these has less been taken care of and it has always remained a challenge in the context of Nepal. This challenge continues to evolve even more after theCovid-19 pandemic due to the generation of huge amounts of infectious wastes. Despite the need for the assessment of hospital waste management practices with regards to the potential benefits of the study, very few researches have been performed in Nepal to assess Covid-19 waste management practices of the hospitals.
Methodology and objective: This research was based on qualitative study where 4 hub hospitals were purposively selected among 12 hub hospitals dedicated for providing covid related services around Kathmandu valley. From those 4 hospitals healthcare waste management focal person from each was selected to perform KII to assess their knowledge on guideline prepared for covid waste management i.e., interim guidance on healthcare waste management in the context of covid-19 prepared by MoHP and to assess practices of waste management they implied in the hospital during and before covid. This research also aimed to assess challenges faced by hospitals for HCWM during covid.
Main findings of KII with waste management focal persons 1. Knowledge about interim guideline on HCWM in the context of covid-19 and guideline implemented in the hospital: Every hospital’s healthcare waste management practices were based on the WHO guidelines, new guidelines related to covid-19 were still not applicable in any of the hospital. Some health care waste management focal person were also aware about the interim guideline but they have not officially received the guideline to implement in the hospital. 2. Knowledge and practice of waste minimization: Hub hospitals from Kathmandu are trying their best possible ways for minimization of health care waste, like use of reusable PPEs, more duty hour to single personnel. 3. Practices of Segregation, collection and disposal of HCWs: There is good practice of waste segregation using different buckets, but for treatment and final disposal hospitals still lacks technological equipment. Autoclave are the primary and majority equipment to treat every type of wastes. According to HCWM guideline covid-19 waste should be collected, treated and disposed separately, but none of the sample hospitals were practicing of separate treatment and disposal of wastes related to covid-19. waste treatment equipment were not in perfect condition and not enough, it imposes a very high risk of disposing the healthcare waste to general waste in municipal waste especially among the waste handlers of municipal waste carrier as they do not use proper protective materials. Covid-19 related wastes were also treated alongside with other wastes prior final disposal with municipal waste. 4. Safety of waste handlers: For safety of healthcare waste handlers hospitals have provision of providing safe PPE kits including vizor, masks, boot. But hospitals were not timely receiving the protective equipment. 5. Challenges experienced by hospitals during covid-19: Main challenges faced by hospitals in HCWM are lack of human resources, lack of advanced technological treatment equipment and lack of proper training.
Recommendations to improve HCWM practices: To improve the healthcare waste management system providing guidelines only is not enough, beside proper training to healthcare waste handlers and waste managers everyone should made aware about the harmful effects that imposes due to improper healthcare waste management practices.
Covid-19.
Waste management.
Practices in hospitals.
Kathmandu.
THS-00692
Assessment of Covid-19 waste management Practices in hospitals of Kathmandu Valley, 2021. - c2021. - ix.34p.
Thesis Report.
SUMMARY:
Introduction: The onset of Covid-19 pandemic has led to the increase in production of healthcare wastes in health centers. Covid-19 wastes being more infectious, will further add to the adverse effects of improper waste management practices; which include potential health and environmental risks. As per national and international guidelines, the Covid-19 related wastes need separate treatment, including segregation, collection, transportation, storage and disposal. With the limited research conducted on the topic till date, this research will study whether the criterion in these guidelines is included in the waste management practices by the hospitals providing Covid-19 related services in Kathmandu Valley. The outcome of this research will put forward the overview of practices by the hospitals regarding waste management and will also provide a baseline for the individual hospitals to improve their existing waste management practices.
Rationale: Although policy and guidelines have been established for the treatment and disposal of infectious waste from health care facilities, compliance to these has less been taken care of and it has always remained a challenge in the context of Nepal. This challenge continues to evolve even more after theCovid-19 pandemic due to the generation of huge amounts of infectious wastes. Despite the need for the assessment of hospital waste management practices with regards to the potential benefits of the study, very few researches have been performed in Nepal to assess Covid-19 waste management practices of the hospitals.
Methodology and objective: This research was based on qualitative study where 4 hub hospitals were purposively selected among 12 hub hospitals dedicated for providing covid related services around Kathmandu valley. From those 4 hospitals healthcare waste management focal person from each was selected to perform KII to assess their knowledge on guideline prepared for covid waste management i.e., interim guidance on healthcare waste management in the context of covid-19 prepared by MoHP and to assess practices of waste management they implied in the hospital during and before covid. This research also aimed to assess challenges faced by hospitals for HCWM during covid.
Main findings of KII with waste management focal persons 1. Knowledge about interim guideline on HCWM in the context of covid-19 and guideline implemented in the hospital: Every hospital’s healthcare waste management practices were based on the WHO guidelines, new guidelines related to covid-19 were still not applicable in any of the hospital. Some health care waste management focal person were also aware about the interim guideline but they have not officially received the guideline to implement in the hospital. 2. Knowledge and practice of waste minimization: Hub hospitals from Kathmandu are trying their best possible ways for minimization of health care waste, like use of reusable PPEs, more duty hour to single personnel. 3. Practices of Segregation, collection and disposal of HCWs: There is good practice of waste segregation using different buckets, but for treatment and final disposal hospitals still lacks technological equipment. Autoclave are the primary and majority equipment to treat every type of wastes. According to HCWM guideline covid-19 waste should be collected, treated and disposed separately, but none of the sample hospitals were practicing of separate treatment and disposal of wastes related to covid-19. waste treatment equipment were not in perfect condition and not enough, it imposes a very high risk of disposing the healthcare waste to general waste in municipal waste especially among the waste handlers of municipal waste carrier as they do not use proper protective materials. Covid-19 related wastes were also treated alongside with other wastes prior final disposal with municipal waste. 4. Safety of waste handlers: For safety of healthcare waste handlers hospitals have provision of providing safe PPE kits including vizor, masks, boot. But hospitals were not timely receiving the protective equipment. 5. Challenges experienced by hospitals during covid-19: Main challenges faced by hospitals in HCWM are lack of human resources, lack of advanced technological treatment equipment and lack of proper training.
Recommendations to improve HCWM practices: To improve the healthcare waste management system providing guidelines only is not enough, beside proper training to healthcare waste handlers and waste managers everyone should made aware about the harmful effects that imposes due to improper healthcare waste management practices.
Covid-19.
Waste management.
Practices in hospitals.
Kathmandu.
THS-00692