Abstract:
This cross-sectional study was carried out in 8 secondary and tertiary level hospitals of Dhaka and Rajshahi division to assess knowledge attitude and practice among health care waste handlers’ combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods was used, and results were used for triangulation purposes. For quantitative data, a semi-structured questionnaire and observation checklists were developed. For qualitative data, 16 Key Informant Interview (KII) and 4 Focused Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted. The intervention hospitals have waste storage area and waste management instruction materials are posted on the hospital wall, verbal communication is also maintained for waste management and plastic wastes are shredded. The waste handlers wear gowns during waste handling and use trolley or container to carry the hospital waste. The non-intervention hospitals have no such practices. Doctors of both the groups were aware of the waste management manual and Waste Management Law but they did not practice that law. Practice of maintaining documentation of waste management system was a problem for all the respondents. Respondents of both groups stressed regular monitoring and suggested arranging formal training on HCW management. The hospital Waste Management Team was functionally inactive and not visible. It was recommended that provide training to waste handlers, fill in manpower gap, supply of sufficient logistics, implement internal checklist for monitoring, control number of visitors in hospital and sincerity of the local management could vastly improve the hospital waste management system.
