Characterization and management of solid medical wastes in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Medical establishment such as hospitals and research institutes generate sizable amount of hazardous waste. Health care workers, patients are at risk of acquiring infection from sharps and contamination of environment with multiple drug resistant microorganisms if wastes are not properly managed. OBJECTIVES: To characterize types and evaluate waste disposal techniques employed in the management of solid medical wastes in five selected hospitals in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. METHODS: This was a cross section study involving the use of questionnaires, in-depth interview, meetings, discussions and participant observed strategy. It also involved the collection, sorting (segregation), identification and characterization and weighing of waste types from wards and units in the selected hospitals. RESULTS: The average waste generation rate per bed/day was determined and found to be 2.78 kg of solid waste, 26.5% of the total waste was hazardous in nature. Waste segregation was found not to be practiced by any of the hospitals surveyed, 18.3% of the hospitals incinerated waste in a locally built brick incinerator; 9.1% bury; 36.3% burn waste in open pits while 36.3% dispose of a waste into municipal dumpsites. CONCLUSION: Waste management officers do not have formal training in waste management techniques; and hospital administrators pay very little attention to appropriate management of medical waste. Therefore, we must educate waste generators of their responsibility to properly manage the waste so that their staff, patients, environment and community is protected.

The trend of pulmonary tuberculosis in patients seen at DOTS clinics in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria.

We evaluated the pattern of sputum smear positivity and assessed the effects of directly observed treatment short course (DOTS) among tuberculosis (TB) patients at the DOTS clinics in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. In total, 1391 patients were seen at six microscopy and treatment centres across the FCT between January and December 2003. Their sputa were screened microscopically for the presence of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) using the Ziehl-Neelsen staining technique. In total, 296 (21.3%) patients were smear positive; 201 (67.9%) were new cases and 95 (32.1%) were follow-up cases. The highest incidence of sputum smear positivity (24.8%) was found in those aged 21-30 years and the lowest incidence (6%) was found in those aged 71 years and above. No incidence of smear positivity was recorded in children aged 0-10 years. In total, 160 of the men screened were AFB positive (75% new cases, 25% follow-up cases). In comparison, 136 women were AFB positive (59.6% new cases, 40.4% follow-up cases). During the 1-year study period, two deaths were recorded. Men pose a serious threat to public health as most of the follow-up cases result in the tubercle bacilli developing resistance to available anti-TB drugs. This study demonstrated a high prevalence of infectious TB in the population screened, and therefore underlines the need for capacity building through a multisectoral approach in the fight against the disease. Cohort analysis should be the cardinal management strategy in evaluating the effectiveness of TB control through systemic follow-up and reporting of certain indicators in treatment progress and success.

Effects of an oil spill on soil physico-chemical properties of a spill site in the Niger Delta Area of Nigeria.

Physico-chemical analysis of soil samples at an oil spill site in the Niger Delta Area of Nigeria showed that the total hydrocarbon content of top soil layers ranged from 0.8 to 12.4 ppm in the heavy impact zone and the oil had penetrated to a depth of 7.2 m. Hydrocarbon concentration in the medium impact zone ranged from 0.02 to 0.40 ppm while hydrocarbons were not detected in 75% of samples from the unimpacted reference zone. Measurement of heavy metal concentrations in the soils revealed a significant build-up (p<0.05) of lead, iron and zinc in the heavy impact zone. Other parameters including electrical conductivity, exchangeable cations, available phosphorus and total nitrogen in impacted soils were comparatively low while the total organic carbon was high, compared with the reference site. Textural class of soil from the different depths showed a predominantly brown sand at the top soil, loamy sand at medium depths and grey coarse sand at greater depths.

Effects of exposure of aquatic snails to sublethal concentrations of waste drilling fluid.

Static bioassays were carried out using two aquatic snails (Pilia sp. and Lanistes sp.) as test organisms in soft natural dilution water, with waste drilling fluid as the test material, at 28±2°C. Comparison of results for the control and different concentrations of the waste drilling fluid were made by means of the F-statistic method. The waste drilling fluid was practically non-toxic to the two aquatic snails.

Characterization and management of solid medical wastes in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja Nigeria

Background: Medical establishment such as hospitals and research institutes generate sizable amount of hazardous waste. Health care workers; patients are at risk of acquiring infection from sharps and contamination of environment with multiple drug resistant microorganisms if wastes are not properly managed. Objectives:To characterize types and evaluate waste disposal techniques employed in the management of solid medical wastes in five selected hospitals in the Federal Capital Territory;Abuja; Methods:This was a cross section study involving the use of questionnaires; in-depth interview; meetings; discussions and participant observed strategy. It also involved the collection; sorting (segregation); identification and characterization and weighing of waste types from wards and units in the selected hospitals. Results:The average waste generation rate per bed/day was determined and found to be 2.78kg of solid waste; 26.5of the total waste was hazardous in nature.Waste segregation was found not to be practiced by any of the hospitals surveyed; 18.3of the hospitals incinerated waste in a locally built brick incinerator; 9.1bury; 36.3burn waste in open pits while 36.3dispose of a waste into municipal dumpsites. Conclusion:Waste management officers do not have formal training in waste management techniques; and hospital administrators pay very little attention to appropriate management of medical waste.Therefore; we must educate waste generators of their responsibility to properly manage the waste so that their staff; patients; environment and community is protected