Comparative Analysis of Cost of Biomedical Waste Management in Rural India

Abstract

Introduction The quantum of waste generated from medical care and activities is a global matter of concern. Improper management of biomedical waste (BMW) has a grave health impact on the community, health care professionals, and the environment.1 It is mandatory by law that every medical organization that generates waste should have a system, process, and resources in place for segregating BMW within the organization for proper disposal. The present article deals with the understanding of various costs associated in BMW management process that will help the health care organization to prioritize their spending and focus on areas that require spending to achieve compliance in process of BMW management. Materials and methods Descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out, to study the compliance of BMW management at three different hospitals with respect to Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011. A retrospective study was conducted to analyze cost data for a 1-year time period. Cost involved in BMW management was analyzed and classified as capital and recurring costs. The study was undertaken in Udupi taluk, and the taluk comprises 11 hospitals (1 Government and 10 private hospitals). The hospitals were selected using convenient sampling as taking permission to conduct the study was difficult. Only three hospitals were permitted to carry out the study. Results and discussion Compliance was found to be better in accredited hospital than in nonaccredited hospital. This could be attributed to strict adherence to standard operating procedures and regular training of staff. Cost involved in BMW management was analyzed as capital and recurring costs. Since most of the hospital outsource final disposal, capital costs are significantly less compared to recurring costs. Among the recurring costs, maximum expenditure is on consumables like color-coded bags. Cost per bed per day for handling BMW was calculated and it was found to be higher in smaller hospitals. How to cite this article Bryal D'souza, Arun MS, Johnson B. Comparative Analysis of Cost of Biomedical Waste Management in Rural India. Int J Res Foundation Hosp Healthc Adm 2016;4(1):11-15.