Designing a health care (medical) waste management program in the cities of Semnan, Mahdishahr and Shahmirzad

Background and Objective: Medical waste can lead to the generation and transmission of many infectious and contagious diseases. Therefore, they need special management for collection, neutralization, and final disposal. This study aimed to design a centralized healthcare (medical) waste management program for three adjacent cities of Semnan, Mahdishahr and Shahmirzad in Semnan province, Iran.Methods and Materials: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted for six months. In this study, the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the wastes were determined by sampling from doctor's offices and other medical centers. Then, the equipment and machines required for the separate collection of waste from the production centers, then their decontamination, were estimated. Then, the investment costs, current costs and working capital required for the collection, decontamination and final disposal of the analyzed wastes were determined. Finally, the cost for the proper management of the generated waste was determined for each type of medical facilities.Findings: ۱۰۲۱ Kilograms of medical waste were daily produced in the cities of Semnan, Mahdishahr and Shahmirzad. To properly manage these wastes, a ۱۰۰۰-liter autoclave machine and twelve tanks with volumes of ۶۰ (n = ۴), ۱۲۰ (n = ۴) and ۱۲۰۰ (n = ۴) liters were used. Also, the total annual management costs of medical waste in Semnan city will be ۲۳, ۲۸۳, ۹۰۳, ۷۲۰ Rials if autoclave is used.Conclusions: The results of the study showed that by receiving an amount between ۳۳۴, ۲۸۰ and ۱, ۲۵۳, ۷۱۵ Rials monthly from various medical waste producing centers, their waste can be properly managed. In this regard, it is suggested to form a company for medical waste management in Semnan region the study results showed that the monthly costs required for proper management of the medical waste generated by the three cities were ranged between X and Y.

کلیدواژه ها:

medical waste ، management ، decontamination ، medical facilities