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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Healthcare Waste Management: What do the Health Workers in a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital Know and Practice

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Introduction: Healthcare waste is any solid or liquid waste that is generated in the diagnosis, treatment or immunization of human beings or animals, in research pertaining thereto, or in production or testing of biologicals. Mismanagement of healthcare waste poses risks to people and the environment. Improving the standards of healthcare waste management protects the health and safety of healthcare workers, patients, visitors to healthcare facilities and the general public. This study was carried out to determine the knowledge and practice of healthcare waste management by the healthcare workers in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi, Nigeria. Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. There hundred and thirty one healthcare workers who have been in the employment of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital were recruited into the study by proportionate sampling technique. Data was collected using a semi-structured self-administered questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 17. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: One hundred and seventy nine (54.1%) of the respondents were males while 149 (45%) were females. The commonest age group was 25-34 years (49.5%). Three hundred and twenty (96.7%) of the respondents had tertiary education, 8 (2.4%) had secondary education, while 3 (0.9%) had primary education and none of the respondents had no education at all. One hundred and twenty six (38.1%) of the respondents have worked for the hospital for 2-4 years while 4 (1.2%) have worked for greater than or equal to 20 years. The knowledge of healthcare waste management among the healthcare workers was high. But the practice was not optimal. Conclusion: The healthcare workers had a high level of knowledge regarding healthcare waste management but practice amongst the workers was not adequate.