Assessment of Medical Waste Generation at a Medical Center in Keffi Metropolis

Healthcare waste represents an important stream of pollutants that impacts on medical personnel and attendees of such facilities. This study examined the quantities of waste generated among 14 different wards and units at the federal medical center, Keffi in Nasarawa state, Nigeria. It also evaluated crucial factors that influence the selection of hospitals by patients as well as the methods employed in waste treatment. The results from the study revealed that an average volume (Kg/bed/day) of 1.97 (Accident & Emergency), 2.27 (Male Medical), 1.71 (Female Medical), 1.79 (Female Surgical), 1.98 (Pediatric), 2.11 (Orthopedic), 1.91 (Lying-in), 1.42 (Amenity), 2.53 (Main theatre), 1.17 (Pediatric surgical), 0.41 (Intensive care unit), 2.03 (Pharmacy), 2.34 (Laboratory) and 4.82 (Labour room). It was established that infectious waste represented the highest rate of hazardous waste (21.3%), while pathological (18.0%), sharp objects (15.8%) and pharmaceuticals (11.4%) represented the sum total of the non-hazardous waste stream. Very strong correlations existed between the Male Medical Ward and Main Theatre (r s 0.9), Female Medical and Female Surgical wards (r s 0.94), Pediatric and Pediatric Surgical wards (r s 0.90), Lying-in and Amenity wards (r s 0.88), Accident & Emergency and Orthopedic units (r s 0.86), with strong correlation between the pharmacy and the laboratory (r s 0.65) and a moderate correlation between the intensive care unit and the Labour room (r s 0.46). The study showed that financial capability was the most important factor that influenced public decision on the choice of the medical center ranked 1, with a relative important index (RII) of 10 in the choice of facilities and methods used to manage waste generated. Other factors in order of importance were ownership of the medical center (2) with an RII of 9 with cultural and social bias ranked as 7 with an RII of 4