Determination of medical waste composition in hospitals of Sana'a city, Yemen

The composition analysis of medical waste is generally considered to be the fundamental information for the most basic steps in the development of a plan for solid hospitals waste management. The objectives of this study were to determine the quantity, generation rate, and the physical composition of medical waste generated in hospitals of Sana'a city, Yemen. This cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted on the composition of hospital wastes generated in four governmental hospitals in Sana'a City. Purposive sampling was used in the selection of the hospitals, which included (Al-Thawra, Al-Kuwait, Republic, and Military). Results of this study showed that the daily average of the waste generated from the studied hospitals was 5615 kg/day. Approximately 26% of the total waste was hazardous (infectious, pathological, and chemical wastes). While 74% was a general (non-hazardous) waste. The average rate of the total waste generation was 3 kg/patient/day, and 2.5 kg/bed/day. The mean individual components of generated waste in the studied hospitals were; foods 27%, plastic 22%, paper/cardboard 22%, glass 11%, metals 10%, and others 8%. In conclusion, about 26% of the waste was hazardous. The physical component analysis of the waste indicated that the foods, plastic, and paper/cartoon has the highest content of the hospitals waste. Decision makers in Yemen can use this study information for designing and plan the properly management for the collecting system and the healthy disposal of the hazardous waste. Also, for estimating the total policy of required facilities, manpower, and other related costs.Keywords: Composition; medical waste; hospitals waste; Yeme

Identification of bacteria and fungi in the solid waste generated in hospitals of Sana'a city, Yemen

A medical establishment such as hospitals and medical centers generate a sizable amount of hazardous waste. In Yemen, the hospitals' wastes are still largely mismanaged, mainly because the sector did not know what to do with the waste. The present study was undertaken to determine the bacterial and fungal agents present in different various of the hospitals' solid waste. The samples were collected from the different wards/departments and from the central storage rooms/dustbins of the hospitals in Sana'a city, Yemen. The presence of bacterial and fungal agents in the hospitals' waste was determined using the conventional bacteria, and fungi identification methods. The bacteria and fungi were detected in the hospitals' solid waste were Klebsiella spp. (9.3%), E. coli (12.7%), Citrobacter spp. (8.5), Candida spp. (18.6%), Proteus spp. (9.3%), Cladosporium werneckii spp. (19.5%), Bacillus spp. (9.3%), Aspergillus spp. (7.6%), Trichothecium spp. (0.8%), Mucor spp. (3.4%), and Acinetobacter spp. (0.8%). This study results confirmed that the prevalence types of microorganism vary based on seasonal and spatial variables

RISK ASSESSMENT OF THE CURRENT HANDLING OF MEDICAL WASTE IN HOSPITALS OF SANA'A CITY, YEMEN

Waste that is generated from healthcare establishments is potentially harmful to human beings and the environment. The objective of this study is to assess the environmental and health risk associated with processes of the current handling of medical waste in hospitals of Sana'a city, Yemen. The observations and follow up with the current handling of medical waste were done through frequent visits to the studied hospitals. A preliminary risks analysis (PRA) technique was applied as an analysis tool to identify and to evaluate the potential hazards of the activities and processes of the current handling of medical waste in the studied hospitals. Eighteen events related to containment, segregation, collection, transportation, waste storage, and waste treatment were analyzed. The results obtained in this study showed that 89% of the events of waste handling processes, which have been analyzed, were in high-risk levels. All events were in high-risk levels, suggesting a need to prioritize all these processes' events. For minimizing or interrupting the potential risks of the current handling of hospitals waste, the hospitals' management and the relevant ministries in the Yemeni government should cooperate to develop a comprehensive plan for management of medical waste, taking into account the results of this study