ABSTRACT
Hospital waste is a special type of waste which carries high potential of infection and injury. This study was conducted to examine Medical Waste Management Practices in different hospitals of Peshawar. Simple observational, cross-sectional study was conducted with a case study approach. Aug-Sep 2011, with selection of 15 hospitals. The data was collected through a pre-designed questionnaire with a checklist. The study showed that 80% of the hospital personnel knew hospital waste and its management. There was waste management plan present in 30% of hospitals. Although hospitals did not quantified waste amounts but on average the amount of waste generated daily was 0.5-1 kg/bed/day. Segregation into risk and non risk waste was done in 93.3% of hospitals. For non risk waste, disposal through Municipal Corporation was conducted in 86.67% of the hospitals, while in 13.3%, it was burnt. For risk waste, either it was buried or burnt. Proper incineration was carried out in only 33.3% of the hospitals. Discussion: Hospital waste generation, segregation, collection, transportation and disposal practices were not in accordance with standard guidelines. The average waste generation in most of the hospitals was almost equivalent to other under developed countries but less than that of developed countries. The hospital waste in the majority of hospitals of Peshawar was mismanaged. No proper hospital waste management plan existed except at few hospitals
Subject(s)
Cross-Sectional Studies , Waste Disposal Facilities , Medical Waste Disposal/methods , HospitalsABSTRACT
The study was conducted to examine the pattern/trend of psychiatric disorders in a hospital based setting. Conducted at Govt. Sarhad Hospital for Psychiatric Diseases, Peshawar in March-April, 2010. Simple Observational. A Retrospective record review was done to determine the disease pattern for patients examined in the OPD [out patient deptt.]. All the patients who attended OPD in year 2010 and 2004 were included.The diseases were coded and classified according to ICD- 9 and 10. Comparison and Statistical analysis of both years was done. The findings of the study suggested that disease pattern seen at hospital, represents mental diseases prevalent in Distt. Peshawar. It showed the predominance of schizophrenic group and neurotic [31 -35%], stress related disorders [30-31%] group over other diseases. Next were the mode effective disorders [12- 16%] and episodal and paroxysmal disorders group [16-17%]. Drug dependence and mental retardation showed low percentage of 2%. Rest of diseases also showed low percentage. Although similar patterns were observed for both years but there were statistically significant difference between the two years. Hospital utilization pattern is a useful guide to the prevalence of mental diseases in general community.The chronic illnesses consisted of major burden of disease. Major groups were Schizophrenic and Neurotic, and Stress related disorders group. Pattern of psychiatric illness have not changed much from 2004 to 2010. Although the hospital is catering a large number of patients, yet there is a dire need of organizing mental health services at community level to reach undiagnosed patients