Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Sana'a, Sana'a, Yemen.
East Mediterr Health J. 2011 Oct;17(10):730-7. doi: 10.26719/2011.17.10.730.
No previous studies about the management of medical waste have been published in Yemen. This research in 5 government and 12 private hospitals in Sana'a aimed to evaluate waste-workers' and hospital administrators' knowledge and practices regarding medical waste handling. Interviews and observations showedadministrators' knowledge and practices regarding medical waste handling. Interviews and observations showed that the waste-workers were collecting medical and nonmedical wastes together manually in all hospitals without receiving adequate training and without using proper protection equipment. There was poor awareness about medical waste risks and safe handling procedures among hospital administrators, and most hospitals did not differentiate between domestic and medical waste disposal. Budgets were not allocated for waste management purposes, which led to shortages in waste handling equipment and an absence of training programmes for staff. Poor knowledge and practices and a high rate of injuries among waste-workers were noted, together with a risk of exposure of staff and visitors to hazardous waste.
在也门，尚未有关于医疗废物管理的研究。本研究旨在评估萨那的 5 家政府医院和 12 家私人医院的废物处理人员和医院管理人员在医疗废物处理方面的知识和实践情况。访谈和观察结果显示，所有医院的废物处理人员都是手动将医疗废物和非医疗废物一起收集，他们没有接受足够的培训，也没有使用适当的防护设备。医院管理人员对医疗废物风险和安全处理程序的认识不足，大多数医院没有对医疗废物和生活垃圾进行区分。没有为废物管理目的分配预算，这导致废物处理设备短缺，工作人员培训计划缺失。废物处理人员知识和实践水平差，受伤率高，同时工作人员和访客有接触危险废物的风险。
