Assessment of Waste Management Practice in Health Institution: A Case Study of University College Hospital Ibadan, Nigeria

Efficient management of medical waste is a necessity because of great risk improper/poor waste management posed to the populace. This study assessed medical waste management practice in University College Hospital Ibadan, Nigeria. Those that improper waste management can affect are identified as the sample frame, and they are health workers, waste handlers, out-patients and residents. Sample size of 5% of the 3000 staff strength of the study area was adopted which amounted to one hundred and fifty (150) respondents. A multistage sampling technique was adopted in the sample selection and the administration of the questionnaires until all copies of questionnaire assigned for each category of respondents were administered. Nine indices were developed, these were: Waste Collection Index (WCI), Waste Storing Index (WSI), Waste Treatment Index (WTI), Facility Condition Index (FCI), Medical Waste Index (MWI), Storage Factor Index (SFI), Waste Effect Index (WEI), Waste Preventive Index (WPI) and Health Workers Satisfactory Index (HSI).The study observed that punctured proof container has WCI of 4.49; lidded container has the highest WSI of 4.56, while compositing and landfill has the highest WTI of 3.67. Gloves and head cap have the highest and lowest FCI with 4.40 and 1.00 respectively. Infectious waste is the major generated waste in the study with MWI of 4.46 and offensive odour with highest WEI of 3.77 while good accessibility has the highest SFI of 4.53. A major preventive measure as perceived the respondents is enforcement of regulation with WPI of 4.16 while workers’ welfare has the highest HSI of 3.57.For proper medical waste management practice, therefore, there should be an incentive package for health workers and adequate fund should be provided to carry out this proper management from on-site to off-site disposal. Time-to-time training for waste handlers in order to keep them abreast of the recent risk involved or update about medical waste and waste management policy should be re-assessed and reviewed where necessary so as to keep it up-to date.