Practices Regarding Hospital Waste Management at Public and Private Sector Hospitals of Lahore

Background: Healthcare (Biomedical) waste is a term used for all waste arising from healthcare establishments. In most of healthcare centers of Pakistan, including Lahore, hospital wastes are simply mixed with the municipal waste in collecting bins at roadsides and disposed off similarly. Proper Management of biomedical waste, especially the hazardous one, being produced in hospital settings is important in terms of their ability to cause harm to the related persons and the environment as well. Objective: To Observe and compare the practices regarding Hospital Waste management of the public sector hospital with private sector hospital. Study Design: Descriptive, Cross sectional. Place and Duration: Shalamar (Private) and The Children's (public) Hospitals, May - June 2010. Methodology: Standardized checklist was used to assess the practices of nursing and sanitary staff. Results: Practices regarding waste segregation were same at both hospitals. While practices regarding waste collection and transportation were better at The Children's Hospital. Conclusion: Public sector hospital has, paradoxically, better practices regarding hospital waste management in comparison to private sector hospital.