Author(s)

Takpaya Gnaro¹, Awedeou Ali², Atèhèzi Adom¹, Etsri Sename Abiassi², Cyriaque Degbey³, Yenduban Douti¹, Dédé Koeviakoe Messan¹, Ghislain Emmanuel Sopoh³, Didier Koumavi Ekouevi⁴

¹Training and Research Center in Public Health, University of Lomé, Lomé, Togo.
²Head Office of Hygiene and Basic Sanitation of Togo, Lomé, Togo.
³Regional Institute of Public Health Comlan Alfred Quenum (IRSP-CAQ), University of Abomey-Calavi, Ouidah, Benin.
⁴Faculty of Health Sciences (FSS), University of Lomé, Lomé, Togo.

Introduction. Biomedical waste represents an environmental concern and a risk to healthcare workers, users of healthcare services, and the surrounding population. This study aimed to assess the management of solid and liquid biomedical waste in University Hospitals Centers (UHC) in Togo in 2021. Methods. This is a cross-sectional, evaluative and analytical study undertaken in 2021. It involved 3 UHCs, 25 departments, 340 care providers and departments randomly selected, 72 directors or deputies, supervisors and heads of departments, 27 collection and incineration agents selected by a reasoned choice technique, and 44 patients and attendants selected by an accidental choice technique. Data analysis was done using Pearson’s Chi² statistical test for comparing proportions and logistic regression. Results. Solid and liquid waste management was “poor” due to non-use of waste management guidelines (ORa = 3.50; p = 0.0000), insufficient training of healthcare providers and collection agents (ORa = 6.55; p = 0.0000 and ORa = 6.08; p = 0.0000 respectively), insufficient user awareness sessions (ORa = 4.04; p = 0.0001), insufficient coordination of activities (ORa = 5.07; p = 0.0002), insufficient supervision of service providers and collection agents (ORa = 2.34; p = 0.0000), insufficient monitoring and follow-up of activities (ORa = 20.40; p = 0.0000). The sorting was not systematic (74.1%), and the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) of the effluents were relatively high. Conclusion. Managing solid and liquid biomedical waste is insufficient in Togo’s university hospitals and represents a potential risk to human health and the environment.

Management, Biomedical Waste, Healthcare Providers and Services, University Hospitals, Togo

Gnaro, T. , Ali, A. , Adom, A. , Abiassi, E. , Degbey, C. , Douti, Y. , Messan, D. , Sopoh, G. and Ekouevi, D. (2022) Assessing Biomedical Solid and Liquid Waste Management in University Hospital Centers (CHU) in Togo, 2021. Open Journal of Epidemiology, 12, 401-420. doi: 10.4236/ojepi.2022.124033.