PRIVATE HEALTH INSTITUTIONS AND SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT IN IBADAN METROPOLIS

The study investigated the solid waste management in private health institutions (PHIs) in Ibadan metropolis, Nigeria. Primary data were obtained through questionnaire administered on the cleaners in PHIs. Simple random sampling method was used to select 10% of the PHIs for data collection. Thus, a total of 56 health institutions were selected. Findings revealed there were no protective and safety materials for those handling waste in the PHIs. Among the waste cleaners, the level of personal conviction of safety was low on the use of heavy duty gloves (3.35%), nose cover (4.79%) and protective shoes (2.23%). The most important storage receptacle utilized was the perforated covered refuse bin. This represented 29.3% in the selected health institutions. The next in importance to perforated bin was plastic drums without cover and handles. It represented 24.4% of all receptacles used. Bucket without cover and metal drums without cover and handle represented 10.4% respectively and ranked as the third among the mostly used storage receptacles. The waste storage placed outside PHIs premises increased the grooming of flies, rodents caused bad odour and blocked drainage before it was emptied. It was established that only 7.31% of the entire storage receptacles were environment-friendly. This study has shown that very little has been done on solid waste management in the study area. Thus, it recommends that; a consistent public enlightenment and environmental sensitization for all the managers and waste management officers of the health institutions. Furthermore, the stakeholders (the state ministries of Environment and Health and the Oyo State Waste Management Agency) should pursue strict enforcement of legislation that will have a significant impact on the sorting, segregation and storage of medical solid waste in the study area.