Institutional Factors Associated Medical Waste Management Practices among Selected Private Healthcare Facilities in Kampala, Uganda.

Abstract

The waste produced in the course of healthcare activities carries a higher potential for infection and injury than any other type of waste; inadequate and inappropriate knowledge of handling healthcare waste would have severe direct and indirect health consequences on the health care providers, waste handlers, and a significant negative impact on the environment The objective of this study was to determine the institutional factors associated medical waste management practices among selected private healthcare facilities in Kampala, Uganda. Descriptive cross-sectional study design was used employing quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. A sample size of 240 respondents was considered across all Health workers involved in waste generation in the 3 selected Health facilities. Data were analyzed using SPSS; descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were done at a 95% confidence interval. Average number 106/211 (50.2%) of the respondents had good waste management practice, while 105/211 (49.8%) had poor waste management practice. Factors such as: the presence of hospital policy in waste management (X2= 22.434, P-value = 0.000), availability of manual or guideline document on management of hospital waste (X2= 25.327, P-value = 0.000), waste management plan by the Hospital (X2= 45.241, P-value = 0.000) and standard operation procedure on the management of waste by the Hospital (X2= 34.611, P-value = 0.000) were all associated with medical waste management practices. Acceptable waste management practices were found in 50% of Health workers and in private health facilities in Kampala studied. The 50% non-compliance to good waste management practice is very significant. Also, the absence of hospital policy on waste management, non- availability of manual or guideline document on management of hospital waste, lack of waste management plan document by the Hospital, and standard operating procedures on the management of waste by the Hospital were found to be significant factors associated with poor waste management.