Healthcare risk waste in Saudi Arabia. Rate of generation.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the amount of healthcare risk waste generated by health establishments in Saudi Arabia METHODS: A healthcare waste management questionnaire was applied in 27 hospitals, and 16 primary health centres and clinics. The total quantity of healthcare risk waste collected in 24 hours in each of these establishments was weighed. Calculations were carried out to get hospitals rate of healthcare risk waste generation and primary healthcare centres risk waste generation. The total national estimate of healthcare risk waste production in kilograms/year for the whole health establishments in the Kingdom was then calculated. RESULTS: The mean hospital healthcare risk waste rate of generation was 1.13+/-0.96 kg/bed/day. The mean primary healthcare centres and clinics healthcare risk waste rate of generation was 0.08+/-0.08 kg/visitor/day. The estimated mean amount of all healthcare risk waste generated in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is 25,207 tons/year. CONCLUSION: Healthcare establishments in Saudi Arabia produce healthcare risk waste. Much care is given by the responsible authorities for the management of that type of waste. A program is being established to formulate standards for healthcare waste management

Cholinesterase assessment as a result of fenitrothion exposure: a survey in a group of public health workers exposed to an organophosphorus pesticide.

Antimalarial spraying activities are very important for the malaria control programme in Central Region, Sudan. Fenitrothion, an organophosphorus pesticide, is used for that purpose. A survey of 17 spraying group workers plus three controls was carried out. Whole blood cholinesterase determination was done using the Tintometric method. The maximum and minimum temperatures recorded on the days of the survey were 99 and 78 degrees F respectively. The relative humidity ranged between 82 and 40 per cent in the morning and afternoon respectively. Cholinesterase levels were measured on two pre-start days and then pre- and post-exposure levels were determined on 13 days of a 42 day spraying campaign. On 11 out of the 13 days, cholinesterase levels showed a significant drop. The cholinesterase levels of some members of the spraying team decreased by 25 per cent, 37.5 per cent or 50 per cent which were considered as slight-moderate, moderate-pronounced and pronounced inhibition, respectively.

Causes of hypersensitivity reactions in flour mill workers in Sudan.

A study of 237 male workers at two flour mills and 71 controls was carried out in Sudan in order to investigate the main possible causes of hypersensitivity reactions to flour dust. Statistical analysis was carried out for the skin test results of wheat, mixed moulds (A13), grain dust, and mixed moulds (group MH) allergen extracts. The results showed that there was no statistical significance between the two exposed groups namely allergy complaining vs. allergy non-complaining except for wheat results in one of the two flour mills which was very slightly significant. But there were highly significant differences between the exposed compared with the control group in all allergens tested. There was no significant correlation, between allergic symptoms and precipitins to wheat or grain dust, nor between precipitins and positive skin tests. The results of respirable flour dust concentrations at different work locations had exceeded the threshold limit values which were taken as 10 mg/m3. Aspergillus supp. and Rhizopus niger were the predominant fungi in the wheat grains and products which were collected from the two mills.

Mean wheal diameter in skin tests for castor bean extracts in castor bean allergic workers of eastern Sudan.

The mean wheal diameter by prick test for castor bean (Ricinus communis, Euphorbiaceae) extracts was measured in a castor bean allergic population. Three types of castor bean extracts namely Cimmaron, Pacific and dust (a mixture of Cimmaron, Pacific and hull), were applied at 1/10,000 dilutions with a control solution. The subjects comprised 318 male workers who were divided into four groups with a fifth control group of 63 male workers. The solutions were tested on three subject groups with Cimmaron in the first, Pacific in the second, and dust in the third. All three extracts were applied in the fourth and the control groups. The results have shown that the Cimmaron type gives a larger wheal diameter than Pacific or dust at the same concentration. There were statistically significant differences between the wheal diameters caused by different extracts in the same subjects. The possibility of producing a type of seed containing less amount of allergen could be considered and experimented on by the agricultural research bodies.

Exposure to pesticides in agriculture: a survey of spraymen using dimethoate in the Sudan.

There is a need for objective data on the exposure of spraymen to pesticides in agriculture in order to assess minimum requirements for practicable protection in tropical areas. To provide data, a survey was carried out in the Sudan on spraymen using dimethoate. No cholinesterase depressions were found and the calculated dose received by each man per day was within safe limits in the circumstances of this survey. Respiratory exposure was only a minor part of total exposure. The methodology of such surveys is discussed and the need for the use of a standard protocol is emphasized.