Proposed Solutions to Address the Challenges of Medical Waste Management in Health Facilities in Kamukunji Sub-County, Nairobi City County, Kenya

Abstract

Medical waste management in Kenya has been greatly affected by the country's elevated production levels. The majority of medical facilities do not have an extensive medical waste management system, or if they do, they do not handle waste thoroughly, and therefore is detrimental to humans and the environment. This research focuses on health facilities’ management of medical waste in Kamukunji sub-county, assessing the specific problems of medical waste management in that area. This was a study focusing on healthcare workers, their working conditions and habits. This study was an analytical cross-sectional study design. Multistage sampling methods for the selection of 10 health facilities and 141 study participants. The R square was 0.746, indicating that medical waste management was harmed by a lack of funding, insufficient logistics, a lack of disposal sites, and a lack of understanding. This demonstrated a 74.6 percent variance in healthcare waste management due to a lack of funding, insufficient logistical supply, a lack of disposal site, and a lack of awareness. The remaining 25.4% implies that there were additional issues affecting the healthcare waste management systems of the ten health facilities evaluated. By explicitly identifying a given color with a certain category and its accompanying hazard, segregation aids to make waste processing safer. During the research period, Pumwani Maternity Hospital generated the most medical waste (80Kg) and Bahati Health Center generated the least (15Kg). The study concludes that periodic updates in medical waste management are necessary, as is refresher training for healthcare professionals and waste handlers. Additionally, it is advised that each health care facility have a safe and hygienic system in place for the handling, segregation, c collection, storage, transportation, treatment, and disposal of medical waste. All health facilities in Kenya, the study states, should adhere to the National Policy on Injection Safety and Medical Waste Management (2007). The 2007 strategy aims to emphasize the need of advocating for both the support and execution necessary to adequately manage healthcare waste. Keywords: Medical waste generation, health risks, medical waste management solutions, challenges of medical waste management, health facilities