Assessment of Waste Management in educational hospitals of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in 2013

Over the last several decades, huge amounts of different kinds of waste have been produced by human activities and alterations in man’s lifestyle and consumption patterns. Medical sciences are among the world’s top advanced professional sections. However, it seems that a portion of the production residues in medical units called "special wastes" or "clinical wastes", especially in developing countries, have not been taken seriously. This study examined the Waste Management assessment in educational hospitals of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences.
This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in 12 educational hospitals of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. First, a questionnaire was designed and its validity approved. Then the required data was gathered during visits to participating hospitals. Finally, the collected data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 16.
Findings showed that the daily production of infectious and sharps wastes in the studied hospitals generally equaled 3387 kg. All hospitals were equipped with non-incineration systems; however, only 83.3% of them were active. Some infectious waste was disposed of along with urban wastes without being sterilized.
Overall, waste management in hospitals was relatively appropriate, but due to the importance of the issue, in some cases is needed to more attention.
Document Type: Research Articl