medical waste management & corpses. 2 incorrect management of health- care waste may: >...

International Federationof Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Medical waste management & Corpses

International Federationof Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

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Incorrect management of health-care waste may:

> Expose people to health-care associated infections:

– Health staff– Patients and visitors

> Be the cause of disease outbreaks:

– People who live around the health centre– People who recycle health-care waste

Risk

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Objectives of medical waste management

1. Handle and store wastes in a safe way

2. Make wastes:

> Non-contaminating

> And/or inaccessible

> And, if possible, non-reusable

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Classes of health-care waste

Sharps (needles, scalpels etc.), which may be infectious or notNon-sharps infectious waste (organics) (anatomical waste, pathological waste and dressings)Non-infectious non-sharps waste (paper, packaging etc.)Dangerous wastes (laboratory waste, expired drugs, radiological waste etc.)

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Principle of managing medical waste

> Management in the health-care setting if possible

> Minimum handling

> Simple, robust and widely applicable

> Appropriate – technically, socially and legally

> Effective

> Affordable and sustainable

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Management steps

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S e gre ga tion

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Sharps

Recycled drugs container

MSF Reusable Sharps Container

Commercial sharps container

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Sharps

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Sharps

Minimum 1.5 m

Water table

Drainage

Ground level

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Non-Sharps Non – Infectious waste

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Non-Sharps Non- Infectious waste

Incinerator:

•Reduction of volume•Renders unusable•Decontamination•Renders inoffensive

Burner: Reduction of volume

International Federationof Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

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Non-Sharps Infectious waste

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Non-Sharps Infectious Waste

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Non-Sharps Infectious Waste

Ground level

Lining

Minimum 1.5 m

Water table

Drainage

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Dangerous Wastes

> Manage case-by-case

> Follow national

regulations

> Seek guidance from

WHO

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Waste treatment area

Washing area

Incinerator, protected from the rain

Waste bins storage place

Drains

Sharps pit

Organic waste pit

after 2 years

Ash pit Ash pit, after 2 years

Organic waste pit

Fence

Water supply

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Management issues

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Training and protection of personnel

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Minimum standards

Storage and collection •1 set of three segregated containers per 40 beds

Transport •Transport of 0.5 litres per bed

Disposal •Original pit volume of 400 litres per bed•Incinerator 5 m from nearest habitable building

•Pit 50 m from nearest habitable building

International Federationof Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

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Disposal of dead bodies

‘The myth that dead bodies cause a major risk of diseases as reiterated in all large natural disasters, is just that, a myth’ (Goyet, 1999)

International Federationof Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

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When corpses represent a risk

Medical epidemics where corpses play a key role in diseases transmission are rare, excepting:CholeraEbolaTyphus and plague

International Federationof Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

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Handling of the dead

Cultural practices: Respect the wishes and social customsBody dressing (body bags)Disinfection (chlorine solution)Protective clothingTransportationBurial sites (at least 50 m from groundwater sources and 500 m from the nearest habitable building). An area of 1500 m2 is required per 10.000 population.Burial depth (covering soil of at least 1 m) and 1.5 m from groundwater tableCremation (only if traditional method)

International Federationof Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

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Cholera / Ebola / Typhus outbreaks

Funerals can contribute to the spread of the disease

Limit funeral gathering, ritual body washing and funeral feast.If funeral feast can not be avoided, then special attention on food preparation needs to be placed.Embalming should not be carried outBodies should be placed in body bags prior to burial (minimize the contact with the body)

International Federationof Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

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Thank you……….Thank you……….