Health care waste management in health facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana

Richard Amfo-Otu; Enoch Akyeampong; Michael Affordofe; Philip A. Bannor; Yakubu Alhassan; Doreen Danso; Senam Tengey; Reginald Quansah; Joana Akpabey; Lawrence Obeng; Franklin O. Ayesu; Agyemang Badu; Bernard A. Kwanin

doi:10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20221506

Authors

Richard Amfo-Otu Department of Environment and Public Health, University of Environment and Sustainable Development, Ghana
Enoch Akyeampong Department of Environmental Health and Occupational Health and Safety, Accra School of Hygiene, Ghana
Michael Affordofe Department of Environmental Health and Occupational Health and Safety, Accra School of Hygiene, Ghana
Philip A. Bannor Health Facilities and Regulatory Agency, Ghana
Yakubu Alhassan Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
Doreen Danso Department of Environmental Health and Occupational Health and Safety, Accra School of Hygiene, Ghana
Senam Tengey Infectious Waste Management, ZoomLion Ghana Limited, Ghana
Reginald Quansah Biological, Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
Joana Akpabey Health Facilities and Regulatory Agency, Ghana
Lawrence Obeng Health Facilities and Regulatory Agency, Ghana
Franklin O. Ayesu Health Facilities and Regulatory Agency, Ghana
Agyemang Badu Health Facilities and Regulatory Agency, Ghana
Bernard A. Kwanin Health Facilities and Regulatory Agency, Ghana

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20221506

Keywords:

Healthcare waste management, COVID-19 related waste, Ghana

Abstract

Background: Healthcare waste management (HCWM) system in healthcare facilities is essential in dealing with the spread of infectious diseases, especially during an outbreak period such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The study assessed health care waste management situation in selected healthcare facilities in the greater Accra and Ashanti regions of Ghana during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This was a multi-facility-based cross-sectional study that used a monitoring tool of the health facilities regulatory agency of Ghana to collect information on health care waste management practices at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data was gathered from 501 healthcare facilities in the greater Accra (335) and Ashanti (151) regions. Descriptive, Chi-square and multiple logistic regression were performed. All statistical analyses were considered significant at an alpha level of 0.05.

Results: Less than half (45.7%) of the health facilities were assessed as having HCWM systems with majority (54.3%) having effective infectious waste management system. The health facilities in the greater Accra region (38.8%) and Ashanti region (60.9%) were categorized as poor on healthcare waste management system. The assessment levels of governance/leadership, management, quality assurance system, human resource, infection prevention and control equipment and water management were all significantly associated with the adherence to good HCWM systems.

Conclusions: Health facilities were assessed as having good healthcare waste management systems, especially in the greater Accra region compared to the Ashanti, however treatment and safe disposal should be improved.

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