Abstract:

Health care wastes (HCW) are all waste generated from health care facilities, research facilities and other associated laboratories. The aim of this study is to determine the knowledge, attitude, practice and factors affecting health care waste management practice amongst health care staff in health facilities in Bida Local Government Area. This descriptive study was carried out among health care personnel in all the health facilities in Bida Local Government. The respondents who had worked in the health facilities for a period of one year and above were studied. The tools for data collection were semi structured questionnaires and observational checklist. A total of 314 respondents were interviewed. The mean age of respondents was 33.8±6.8 years. The level of knowledge of health care staff in the health facilities was fair. Respondents’ attitudes were excellent in 22.3%, good in 46.8% and poor in 30.9%. Respondents’ practice of health care waste management (HCWM) was fair in 56.4%, excellent in 23.6% and poor in 20.1%. Also, noted was that awareness of existing policy on HCW, a standing Supervisory Committee on HCW in the various health facilities affected positively the practice of HCWM. The study showed that the level of knowledge and attitude amongst health staff in health care facilities in Bida Local Government was fair and their current practice of health care waste management was found to be good. From the findings in the study, the knowledge, attitude and practice of health care waste management amongst health care staff can be improved by organizing training and retraining programmes like workshops, seminars etc. Policies on health care waste management should be widely circulated to improve the awareness amongst health care staff.

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