Maintaining public health in Africa is a major concern for many countries on the continent. Medical waste has become a major factor impacting people’s health and safety, especially in remote and resource-limited communities. Medical waste not only poses environmental risks, it also contaminates land and water sources, while endangering the public health of communities. To combat these pressing concerns, it is essential to understand the threats posed by medical waste, recognize the key actors and mechanisms in place to control this waste, and introduce practices to improve waste management.
Medical waste: causes, consequences and actors
Medical waste includes any biomedical, hazardous, or incompressible material generated as a result of medical diagnosis or treatment, such as pharmaceutical waste, sharps (e.g., hypodermic needles and other medical devices), residue pharmaceuticals, human anatomical remains and other by-products. . In Africa, it is common for patients seeking medical treatment to deposit bodily fluids and other items contaminated with biological agents outside treatment centers or in nearby trash cans, potentially exposing others. people by cross contamination.
Primary and secondary transmission of viruses results from non-careful disposal of medical waste, posing a greater threat to public health. There has been an increase in mosquito-borne illnesses linked to contaminated medical waste like stagnant water or untreated waste.
Risks: impacts on public health, environment and development
Proper waste management is important since the disposal of biological fluids can have serious ecological impacts and potentially spread serious conditions, including:
– An unsanitary environment leading to community-wide disease outbreaks
Transmission of infections through infected fluids or vectors
Encroachment and dislocation of wildlife areas
Risks of environmental pollution if disposed of in terrestrial, underground or aquatic areas
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