Browsing by Author "Adarkwa, Samuel Akwasi"

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    Environmental audit of small hospitals: a case study at the Aninwaah Medical Centre, Emena-Kumasi
    (November, 2016) Adarkwa, Samuel Akwasi
    The management of medical waste is of importance due to its infectious and hazardous nature that can cause risks on the environment and public health. The study was conducted to evaluate the medical waste management practices, to determine the amount of waste generated and to prepare an Environmental Action Plan (EAP) for the Aninwaah Medical Center, Emena, Kumasi. The survey was conducted at the Aninwaah Medical Center since its waste management practices were not so clear to some staff. To examine the medical waste management practices, the study employed a range of methods including questionnaires survey which targeted 100 randomly selected health care workers and ancillary staff, formal interviews with facility managers, field observations and literature reviews. Compliance with EPA-Ghana guidelines and other recommended used as standards to assess the hospital waste management practices. The waste management practices were analysed for a week to capture the daily management practices. It was observed that medical waste generation rate at the Aninwaah Medical Centre ranged from 0.126-0.157kg/patient/day. About 95% of the waste generated was general/non-infectious waste and sharps. The audit also revealed that segregation procedures the wastes generated were not constantly followed. The hospital workers are not given the proper training and insufficient protection. It was revealed that there are no laws in Ghana on how medical wastes are managed. In view of that, hospitals are not obliged to strictly follow any laws or procedure in the management of medical waste.