KAMPALA/UGANDA: Scientists found out that Mulago Hospital produces 3. 3 tons of solid waste every month.
The study which has been published in the journal Science Direct this year and titled: Quantification and characterization of solid waste generated within Mulago national referral hospital, Uganda, East Africa was conducted by scientists from the universities of Liberia, Rwanda, and Kampala International University in Uganda.
The scientists are Ayan Muse Osman, Zubeda Ukundimana, Fwangmun B. Wamyil, Abdulfatah Abdu Yusuf, and Kabera Telesphore
The study which can be accessed here: https://bit.ly/3Gb8MWO, also found that wards produced the highest quantity of waste compared to other units.
“This could be due to the fact that patients and their keepers spend most of their time in the wards. The hospital generates an average of 111.4kg of solid waste per day, with the wards having the highest generation rate,” they observe.
The study which has revealed that waste management at Mulago referral hospital in Uganda is still poor, aimed to quantify and characterize. It found that general waste comprised 72% of the total waste generated in the facility, while clinical waste made up 28%.
The study used the individualized Rapid Assessment Tool (I-RAT) and found that the hospital’s authorities are aware of policies surrounding the handling and disposal of waste, but gaps were observed in compliance.
“The average solid waste sorting compliance was found to be very low, at 37.4%, with the highest compliance in operating theatres,” the study adds.
The study found that waste sorting compliance was low, with an average compliance rate of 37.4%. Compliance was highest in operating theatres, where waste sorting is easier, and personnel are literate and understand the importance of sorting waste at points of generation. In contrast, compliance was lowest in the wards, public areas, and laundry, where the waste containers provided were inadequate to accommodate all the waste generated.
The analysis of discharged liquid waste revealed that Lead, Nitrate, COD, and BOD concentrations were beyond the permissible limits. The authors of the study recommended a bio-chemical pre-treatment of wastewater for the abatement of pollutants before discharging into the environment. The study also recommended the use of a combined 0.062 m3 capacity container for general waste and 0.024 m3 for clinical waste in all hospital units to minimize waste mixing and spillage at the waste generation points as a result of inappropriate bins.
The study recommends compliance with policies and legislation measures, bio-chemical pre-treatment of wastewater to abate pollutants before discharging into the environment, and appropriate waste disposal bins to minimize mixing and spillage.
This study provides an analysis of the waste generated at Mulago Referral Hospital in Uganda. The study found that within the 30-day study period, 72% of the waste generated was a general waste, while 28% was clinical waste. The high quantity of general waste can be attributed to the unrestricted use of non-reusable packaging materials and foodstuff. Additionally, several private businesses operate within the hospital, and it is unclear if their waste ends up mixing with the hospital waste.
Background:
Mulago Hospital is a public hospital located in Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. It is the largest hospital in Uganda and the main referral hospital for the country, serving as a teaching hospital for the Makerere University College of Health Sciences. The hospital has a bed capacity of over 1,500 and offers a range of medical services, including surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, oncology, cardiology, and neurology. Mulago Hospital also operates several specialized units, including a neonatal intensive care unit, a burns unit, and an infectious diseases unit.
