Health Impacts and Risks Related to the Management of Solid Biomedical Waste in Health Facilities
Séverin MBOG MBOG1,2* and Dieudonné BITONDO1,2
Published: October 07, 2022
DOI: 10.55162/MCMS.03.076
Abstract
Biomedical waste (BMW) is a health and environmental problem. Also, a study was conducted to develop a biomedical waste management system whose implementation will improve public health, while respecting environmental, technical and socio-cultural concerns. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study which took place from January 16 to 31, 2021. Biomedical waste, in the same way as household or other type waste, is experiencing an ever-increasing production in all countries and their dangers increase in proportion to the quantity produced. Proper management of this type of waste, with a view to disposal that minimizes the risks to health and the environment, represents a high cost, which accentuates the problems in developing countries. However, the lack of means should not be used as an excuse for inaction and the health situation relating to biomedical waste could progress positively with a better awareness of local stakeholders and an improvement in their management. Indeed, hospital staff, patients and their families are likely to contract nosocomial diseases, while the general population is exposed to the dangers of DBM when consuming contaminated food, by inhalation, ingestion or through any type of direct or indirect contact with DBMs; this means that legal complaints about it are likely to increase over time.
Keywords: Biomedical Waste; Management; Pollution; Risks; FOSA