HEALTH CARE WASTE GENERATION RATE, MANAGEMENT PRACTICE AND ASSOCIATED FACTOR AMONG HEALTHCARE WORKERS IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS OF HARARI REGION, EASTERN ETHIOPIA.

Abstract

Background: In developing countries, like Ethiopia, the quantity of healthcare waste has sharply risen in recent years as a result of rapid population growth and thus increasing demand for healthcare services. Despite of many researches has been conducted on different health facilities and area the problem of healthcare solid waste management is not solved yet; at best the available ones lack details and comprehensiveness. Previous studies focused on healthcare waste management at facility level without identifying the role of each actor on healthcare waste management practices such as health care workers. Thus, a comprehensive research is required for the development of effective healthcare waste management system. Objectives: To assess Healthcare waste generation rate, management practices and associated factors among healthcare workers in public hospitals of Harari region, Eastern Ethiopia January 1 to February 1/2018. Methods: An institution based cross-sectional study was conducted on 450 health care workers in Harari region, Eastern Ethiopia. Essential data for this study was collected by using observational checklist and structured Questionnaire. The descriptive analysis of data was indicated using numerical summary measures and the data will be presented using frequency tables, figures and graphs. Data were analysed by SPSS version 20. To measure the strength of association between dependent and independent variables, Crude and Adjusted Odd Ratios with 95% Confidence interval were calculated. Finally, those variables which showed p-value < 0.05 were considered as statistically significance. Result: 28.8% of the respondents had a health care waste management practices. Training on health care waste [AOR=1.6,95%CI (1.009,2.753)] and working experience [AOR=0.364,95%CI (0.164,0.808)] were significantly associated with management practice of health care professionals. The highest generation rate was found in Jegula hospital (0.17kg/pt./day) and from the total waste 29% was hazardous. Practice of waste segregation at point source and use of personal protective equipment is unsatisfactory. Incinerators used are not environmentally friendly. Conclusion: This result revealed that majority of health care workers did not apply the recommended healthcare waste management practice. Thus, regular training on healthcare waste management system must enhanced in order to improve the current management practices