| Article ID: | iaor20122546 |
| Volume: | 28 |
| Issue: | 12 |
| Start Page Number: | 2723 |
| End Page Number: | 2734 |
| Publication Date: | Dec 2008 |
| Journal: | Waste Management |
| Authors: | Verma Lalji K, Mani Shyamala, Sinha Nitu, Rana Sunita |
| Keywords: | statistics: inference |
The management of biomedical waste is a crucial issue in health and environmental management. Rules in India were promulgated in 1998, originally with a deadline of December 2000 and extended to December 2002; however, the actual situation remains far from satisfactory. A study conducted in 2001 by CEE, New Delhi; indicated an implementation deficit. To gauge the present situation, a survey was undertaken during 2005–2006. A systematic analysis of current biomedical waste management practices in smaller nursing homes and hospitals in Delhi was carried out. A total of 53 nursing homes, with bed strengths ranging from 20 to over 200, were included. The survey results show that there is a marked improvement in the segregation practices of biomedical waste in small private hospitals and nursing homes. The majority of nursing homes and hospitals were found to be using a service provider for the collection, management, and disposal of healthcare wastes. Data was collected through a questionnaire and field visits. This paper discusses the relevant data indicative of current practices of healthcare waste management in the nursing homes and small healthcare facilities in Delhi.