Bio safety Knowledge, Waste Disposal Practices and Identification of Parasites in Biomedical Wastes from Healthcare Establishments in Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria

Abiodun A Denloye*¹, Oladele T Ojuromi¹, Kingsley Ochei² and Elizabeth A Ade-Serrano¹

Received: June 11, 2018;   Published: June 19, 2018

DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2018.05.001249

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Abstract

In Nigeria, the level of bio safety awareness has not been established especially among workers in Health Care Establishments (HCEs), neither have pathogenic organisms in wastes from HCEs been identified. Studies were therefore carried out to highlight the level of bio safety awareness and the biomedical waste disposal practices in selected HCEs in Abuja and Lagos respectively as well as identify parasites from HCE wastes from Lagos prior to final disposal. A total of 200 questionnaires were administered to HCE workers in Abuja and Lagos respectively for information on their knowledge of bio safety and how their wastes are disposed of. Also, samples of urine (40) and stools (50) from 90 HCEs in Lagos were examined for presence of parasites using standard parasitological methods comprising of direct wet mount and formol ether concentration techniques. Both urine and stool were examined with 5% lugol iodine and kinyoun carbol fuschin stain. Result shows that HCE workers had knowledge of the basics of bio safety but those in Lagos understood more than the ones in Abuja. Trichomonas vaginalis was identified in one of the urine samples. Female stool (22%) had the highest prevalence of intestinal parasites relative to males (4%). Entamoeba histolytica (6%), Ascaris lumbricoides (6%) and Cryptosporidium spp (6%) were prevalent in the stool samples. These results underscore the need for more enlightenment and education for HCE workers in respect of bio safety. It further shows that the HCEs in Lagos dispose of their biomedical wastes improperly, which can lead to further transmission of pathogenic organisms.

Keywords: HCEs: Healthcare establishments, CDC: Centers for Disease Control, HCEs: Health Care Establishments, LAWMA: Lagos State, the Waste Management Authority

Abbrevations: Bio Safety Knowledge; Health Care Establishments; Biomedical Waste Disposal; Parasites; Parasitological Methods; Centers For Disease Control; Care Establishments; Cryptosporidium Species; Capital Territory; Entamoeba Histolytica; Gardia Lamblia; Non-Existent Segregation; Ascaris Lumbricoides; Trichuris Trichiura

Abstract| Introduction and Background to Study| Materials and Methods| Results| Discussion| Conclusion and Recommendations| References|