Background: During the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic, also known as the COVID-19 pandemic, developing and poor African countriesface severe challenges in controlling infectious trash. As a result, the goal of this report is to assist decision-makers in determining thewaste management approach accessible during the COVID-19 epidemic.
Objective: To assess health-care waste management and associated variables in public health institutions in Hadiya Zone, SouthernEthiopia, during the covid-19 pandemic.
Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was undertaken at public health facilities in the Hadiya zone from March 15 toMarch 30, 2021. The information gathered was entered into EpiData software (version 3.1). SPSS software was used to conduct theanalysis (version 20). We computed descriptive statistics. At 95% confidence intervals, a p-value of 0.05 was considered statisticallysignificant for health care waste management.
Results: A total of 411 people participated, with a response rate of 97.8%. The overall proportion of acceptable health care wastemanagement was 231% (56.2%). In multivariable logistic regression, study participants with 5 years of service were 1.59 times morelikely than their counterparts to handle health care waste appropriately (AOR 95% CI=1.59(1.02–2.48)). Those who received wastemanagement training were 1.94 times more likely than their counterparts. Those who had enough PPE were 2.14 times more likelythan those who did not to handle health care waste appropriately (AOR 95% CI=2.14(1.35–3.34)).
Conclusions and Recommendation: The proportion of acceptable health care waste management was found to be low in thestudy. Service year, waste management training, the availability of suitable personal protective equipment (PPE), and prior waste-related injury experience are all required. It is advised that health-care facility administration offer training and personal protectionequipment for healthcare workers.
Keywords: COVID-19, Waste management in health care, Solid waste