Hospital waste – a long-term challenge
In case of high-consequence contagious diseases (e.g., Ebola virus disease), inadequate handling of hospital waste represents an additional but avoidable risk of infection. In order to ensure the safe disposal of large quantities of waste (e.g., used PPE-Personal Protective Equipment), the EFFO project has implemented and repeatedly evaluated the following measures to improve infection control on a sustainable basis:
Infobox
- Financing the construction of 16 waste incinerators. Due to structural defects and operating errors, waste could not be correctly incinerated at the beginning.
- Reworking the incinerators with the help of local experts (in cooperation with technicians without borders e.V.). This allowed to establish a functional post-combustion step in the second chamber which significantly reduced the development of smoke.
- Implementation a two-day pilot-training course for health and cleaning personnel. Main topics addressed were the necessity to separate waste, construction of the incinerator, steps of incineration and the principle of post-combustion.
- Practical instruction and performing incinerations in the respective personnel’s own working environment.
Overall, the training was evaluated very positively by all participants. The positive results of the pre- and post-tests as regards the progression of learning coincided with the participants' feedback that they had learned a great deal both practically and theoretically.
Impressions
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The principle of the two chambers is understood with help of a modell of the incinerator (© RKI)
Further improvements and extensions to the incinerators are to be carried out (e.g., construction of ash pits, intermediate waste storage) and further training measures are to be organized for health station personnel and extend to packaging, intermediate storage and transport.
Date: 01.09.2019
