Health Workers' Knowledge and Attitude Towards Healthcare Waste (HCW) Management in the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia

Purpose: To enhance the management of healthcare waste and prevent injuries and the spread of diseases, healthcare workers must have appropriate knowledge of sustainable Health Care Waste Management (HCWM) techniques. This study assessed the knowledge and the attitude of health professionals in the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, towards Health Care Waste Management (HCWM). Methodology: A structured questionnaire was used to conduct a cross-sectional survey of 319 participants, yielding 313 responses. Findings: From the result, it was deduced that the health workers' knowledge of HCWM was satisfactory; 82.7% had knowledge of the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended standards on HCWM. However, the result also showed that 59.40% of the respondents had not received any training on HCWM in recent years. In terms of their attitude, their responses to questions suggest they have a positive mindset towards their role in HCWM. 85.90% of the health workers practised waste collection by utilizing colour-coded containers and plastic bags. The utilization of other segregation methods was measured, recording mean exceeding the acceptable mean score of 2.5 except for coloured-coded containers (2.08) and plastic bags (2.05). The practice of self-protection from risk was evaluated by determining respondents' use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during waste handling. The recommended PPEs were always in use, excluding the safety goggles. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study calls for continuous supportive supervision and capacity building (training) among the health workers to ensure effective HCW practice and sustainability. The hospital administration needs to enforce strict biomedical waste management regulations.