A STUDY TO KNOW THE KNOWLEDGE, PERCEPTION, AND PRACTICES OF BIOMEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT AMONG HEALTHCARE PERSONNEL IN CENTRAL MAHARASHTRA.

*Rishi Raj Ashok Sinha, **Dilip Kumar Gund and Saili Jadhav

ABSTRACT

The waste produced in the course of healthcare activities carries a higher potential for infection and injury than any other type of waste. Inadequate and inappropriate knowledge of handling of healthcare waste may have serious health consequences and a significant impact on the environment as well. It is estimated that annually about 0.33 million tonnes of hospital waste is generated in India and, the waste generation rate ranges from 0.5 to 2.0 kg per bed per day.[1] The absence of proper waste management, lack of awareness about the health hazards from biomedical wastes, insufficient financial and human resources, and poor control of waste disposal are the most critical problems connected with healthcare waste.[2] The hospital waste management has diverse ramifications as it not only affects the health of patients but also of healthcare workers (doctors, nurses, sanitary staff, etc.) and general public. Although, there is an increased global awareness among health professionals about the hazards and also appropriate management techniques but the level of awareness in India is found to be unsatisfactory.[3–5] Adequate knowledge about the health hazard of hospital waste, proper technique and methods of handling the waste, and practice of safety measures can go a long way toward the safe disposal of hazardous hospital waste and protect the community from various adverse effects of the hazardous waste.

Keywords: Biomedical waste, knowledge, practice, healthcare personnel.