Treatment and disposal of medical waste in rural and urban clinics within Polokwane municipality of South Africa

Abstract

The objective of the study was to assess the medical waste management practices used by clinics located in the Polokwane Municipality, South Africa. The clinic personnel were not informed prior to the visit. A walkthrough survey was conducted on-site where potential health and safety risks were identified and noted. The health care personnel in charge of specific clinics completed the questionnaires providing general and detailed information about the treatment and disposal of medical waste. Frequencies and percentages were calculated from the data obtained. Data obtained indicate that (i) medical waste was not segregated from general waste in most of the clinics, (ii) rural clinics were burning medical waste with general waste inside the clinic yard (iii) there was no sufficient collection and transport of medical waste in clinics, (iv) sharps were disposed at various hospital incinerators and (v) most of the clinics did not have storage facilities for medical waste.