Knowledge of Maternity Healthcare Waste Management Practice to World Health Organisation Guidelines among Midwives in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital
Aralu, Joy Chioma *
Center for Public Health and Toxicological Research, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Cosmos Enyindah
Center for Public Health and Toxicological Research, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Kenneth Wasini
Center for Public Health and Toxicological Research, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The study assessed the Assessing Knowledge of Maternity Healthcare Waste Management Practice to W.H.O Guidelines among Midwives in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi. A sample of 70 midwives and nurses were used for the study. Descriptive research design was used for the study. The study used one research question with one hypotheses. One research instruments was used to collect the data. The research question was answered using descriptive statistics of percentage, mean and charts while the hypothesis was tested using t-test. The results revealed that out of 70 respondents, 55.7% were between the age of 18-28years, 25.71% of them were between 29 – 39 years while 18.6% within the range of 40 – 50 and none fell within 51years and above, 16% of the respondents were male and 84% were female, doctors were 34%, nurses were 34%, waste handlers were 16% while lab scientists were 16%, the study further revealed that majority (85.7%) of the respondents had high knowledge on HCW management while only few (14.3%) of them had low knowledge on it. The study concluded that the study on waste management practices among midwives and nurses at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, was in alignment with WHO guidelines. The study therefore, recommend that hospital management should implement comprehensive and regular training programs for midwives focusing on WHO guidelines for healthcare waste management. Training should cover proper waste segregation, handling, disposal, and the effective use of personal protective equipment.
Keywords: Healthcare waste, healthcare management, biomedical waste, waste generation, healthcare