Assessment of Medical Waste Management Practices in Selected Departments of Al-Bayda Medical Center

الملخص

This study aims to assess the current state of medical waste management in selected departments of Al-Bayda Medical Center by measuring the quantity of waste, classifying it into medical and non-medical categories, and evaluating the efficiency of the incinerator used and its targeted waste types. Field data were collected over nine weeks using a digital scale and were statistically analyzed using Excel and SPSS. Results showed that the Internal Medicine (Women) Department recorded the highest amount of waste (175.21 kg), followed by the Pediatrics Department, while the lowest amounts were found in the Surgery Departments. Non-medical waste (e.g., paper and plastic) was more prevalent overall, except in the Women’s Surgery Department, where medical waste dominated. The KALFRISA incinerator, operating on diesel fuel with a capacity of 7 kg and temperatures ranging from 800–850°C, is used for specific waste types such as expired drugs and pathological samples, excluding liquids and metallic waste. The differences in waste quantities across departments were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The study recommends providing sharp disposal boxes in all departments, improving source-based waste sorting, increasing the incinerator capacity, and strengthening training and regulatory systems for safer and more effective medical waste management.