Socio-economic impact of improper hospital waste management on waste disposal employees

Improper disposal of hospital waste results in spread of disease to the community and its handlers. To study the socio-economic impact of inappropriate disposal of hospital waste on the health of the waste disposal staff. Interviews were conducted from 50 hospital waste collectors of Lahore and using a pre-structured questionnaire, the information was filled. The data were statistically analyzed for frequencies, and cross tabulation. The improper disposal of hospital waste lead to disease in 45 hospital waste collectors. Eighteen waste collectors were infected with respiratory diseases, 14 with skin infection, 7 with tuberculosis and 6 with hepatitis. Only 8 workers were provided with special clothes by the hospital management. The chances of getting infection was high in those who were not provided with special clothes like, gowns, gloves and shoes as compared to those who were provided with these. The total cost of recovery for these diseases also varied with an amount of Rs. 68,340 for the treatment of hepatitis, Rs. 3,150 for tuberculosis, Rs. 1,500 for respiratory diseases and Rs. 1,000 for skin infection. Only 12 workers were given a small remuneration ranging from Rs. 100-400 per month as compensation from the hospital administration. Use of protective clothing by the hospital waste disposal collectors can significantly reduce their exposure to the diseases

Quantification, classification and management of hospital waste in Lahore City

Systematic disposal of hospital waste is a major problem encountered by different countries including Pakistan. Efforts are on the way to achieve this objective techno-economically. To quantify infectious and total waste produced by the hospitals of Lahore, classify it to know the nature of their components and to collect information about its management. The background information and secondary data were collected by consultation of literature in the libraries and visiting different websites on Internet. The primary data were collected by gathering the responses of the Chief Executives, Medical Superintendents and Medical and Environmental Staff of all hospitals scheduled as reference models through interview. The total quantity of infectious waste produced by the hospitals and other health care units is approximately 785 million tons per annum while the total waste including municipal component is approximately 3,925 million tons per annum. The current status of awareness about proper health care waste disposal is improving but at a slow pace. It may be concluded that the management of hospital waste in five hospitals of Lahore city is systematic. However, the staff handling the waste was not fully trained for proper segregation of the hospital wastes. Incinerators being used for waste disposal are a major source of secondary air pollution therefore, this method should be discouraged. Instead, the feasibility of thermoelectric power generation may be looked into. Proper disposal of hospital wastes should be in placed in every hospital and trained staff should be employed for the job

Techno-economic disposal of hospital wastes in Pakistan

To investigate the prospects of techno-economic disposal of hospital wastes. The background or secondary data were collected by consultation of literature in the libraries and by visiting different websites on Internet. The primary data were collected by gathering responses of employees engaged in solid waste disposal to a comprehensive questionnaire through visits to the hospitals and other health care establishments and environmental information centers in Lahore. The findings suggested that there is no efficient system of disposal of solid hospital wastes in Pakistan. The workforce engaged in its disposal is ignorant and is in the worst socio-economic state and the employees are carrying out jobs as their socio-economic need as hereditary business and thus don't have any job satisfaction in this business. In spite of unfavorable socio-economic conditions, the turnover of employees for the disposal job is high, which may be due to attractive medical benefits and involvement in illegal practices that are source of some extra income for them