Description:
The management of healthcare waste (HCW) is a recognized global challenge as it poses potential dangers to health workers, care seekers, community members and the environment. HCW has been described as the second most hazardous waste, after radioactive waste with the gravity of the problems being of heightened intensity in developing countries. The World Health Organization estimates that about 5-15% of global HIV infections are due to unclean health care, unsafe injection practices and improper HCW management. Unsafe injections cause approximately 30,000 new HIV infections, 8 million HBV infections, and 1.2 million HCV infections worldwide annually. In Nigeria, cases of hospital-acquired HIV infections have been reported. Country-specific data showed that while 45% of health workers had at least one needle stick injury within the preceding year, over 88% of them were not vaccinated against Hepatitis B; 95% did not receive post exposure prophylaxis against HIV. More than 65% of health facilities surveyed had their premises littered with used sharps. To redress the situation, and convinced that only well informed personnel will ensure safety in delivery of health services, Action Family Foundation in 2005, coordinated the formation of a civil society consortium to mainstream healthcare safety and effective management of HCW in collaboration with personnel from the Institute of Child Health and Primary Care of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. It entailed advocacy with relevant professional groups, capacity building, community mobilization and practical HCW handling services. Our presentation will share the baseline scenario, challenges, locally applied strategies and success stories of Action Family Foundation in mainstreaming integrated HCW management in Africa’s largest country. |