A survey was conducted to study the existing medical waste management
(MWM) systems in Tanzanian hospitals during a nationwide health-care
waste management-training programme conducted from 2003 to 2005. The
aim of the programme was to enable health workers to establish MWM
systems in their health facilities aimed at improving infection
prevention and control and occupational health aspects. During the
training sessions, a questionnaire was prepared and circulated to
collect information on the MWM practices existing in hospitals in eight
regions of the Tanzania. The analysis showed that increased population
and poor MWM systems as well as expanded use of disposables were the
main reasons for increased medical wastes in hospitals. The main
disposal methods comprised of open pit burning (50%) and burying (30%)
of the waste. A large proportion (71%) of the hospitals used dust bins
for transporting waste from generation points to incinerator without
plastic bags. Most hospitals had low incineration capacity, with few of
them having fire brick incinerators. Most of the respondents preferred
on-site versus off-site waste incineration. Some hospitals were using
untrained casual labourers in medical waste management and general
cleanliness. The knowledge level in MWM issues was low among the health
workers. It is concluded that hospital waste management in Tanzania is
poor. There is need for proper training and management regarding
awareness and practices of medical waste management to cover all
carders of health workers in the country
