Management of "SHARPS" wastes in Manila hospitals (Part 1)

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Sharps waste is a special kind of health care waste that needs to undergo certain processes before its final disposal. These processes are guided by international policies, national laws and memoranda, the implementation of which is under the jurisdiction of certain agencies. OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to document the health care sector's adherence to proper waste management practices, especially for hazardous sharps waste. It specifically documented the adherence to government regulations of six tertiary hospitals in the Manila and Pasay City areas. The study was undertaken to identify if these six hospitals adhere to the guidelines set by the World Health Organization as adapted by the Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The first specific objective is to document if these hospitals are complying with the documentary requirements of such regulations as required by law. The second specific objective is to document the presence of facilities and resources in the hospital that will ensure proper implementation of regulations regarding sharps waste disposal. METHODS: The study was conducted in six tertiary hospitals, three of which are government/public and three are private hospitals. An observation checklist was constructed to identify in a detailed manner if the said hospitals were adhering to the standards set by the government. This checklist was validated by photographs for documentation. Specific areas, people and equipment of interest were earmarked for observation. Nurses stations and the laboratory for example, were singled out due to the high volume of sharps waste produced and temporarily stored in these areas. Chart reviews were also done to check if permits and policies were in place to oversee proper hospital waste management. Results. The study showed that all six hospitals were not strictly adhering to all the prescribed requirements by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Health. CONCLUSION: Even with rules and policies in place, it has been documented that all of the study hospitals have not been adhering to documentary requirements. Furthermore, the facilities and resources needed for waste management in the hospital are not available. Recommendation The responsible agencies should closely monitor the sharps waste management practices of hospitals to ensure safety and protect the health of health care workers, patients, their companions and visitors.