Abstract:
This report presents an analysis of health-care waste management in selected
hospitals in the Central District Municipality of the North West Province, with
a view of making recommendations that will ensure environmentally sound
and sustainable health-care waste management in the study area.
In contributing to the promotion of sustainable management of health-care
waste (HCW), the study aimed to minimize waste generation and
environmental impact of waste treatment and disposal, to enhance public
health and safety, and to provide a safer working environment around
hospitals. An assessment was carried out which involved a review of relevant
literature, site visits, and interviews with key stakeholders in health-care waste
management in the study area, to generate data and information on health-care
waste management trends and issues.
The major findings of the study include identified gaps in terms of the policy
and legislative framework for the actual management of HCW, and issues
relating to the mishandling of health-care waste, poor segregation,
inappropriate storage rooms, and insufficient training on health-care waste
management. Sustainable health-care waste management measures are
proposed to improve the current situation at the health-care facilities in the
Central District Municipality of the North West Province.
