BEYOND THE BIN: EXPLORING KNOWLEDGE ON BIOMEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT AMONG NORTHERN INDIA’S HEALTHCARE WORKERS

Background: Poor management of biomedical waste (BMW) poses severe health and environmental risks, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic that saw an excess of infectious waste. The Biomedical Waste Management Rules of 2016, subsequently amended in 2018, provide guidelines for safe disposal; however, there remain considerable gaps in knowledge among healthcare personnel. The present research assessed and improved their knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) about COVID-19-related BMW via a structured teaching program (STP) at a tertiary care hospital in Northern India. Methodology: The quasi-experimental one-group pre-test post-test design was utilized in 50 health workers. Pre- and post-intervention KAP scores were quantitatively measured, correlations be-tween demographic parameters such as age, education, and clinical experience were compared. Findings: A majority of the participants were aged 25–34, 56% of them had a master’s degree, and 14% had 6–10 years of experience. Pre-intervention scores were as follows: knowledge – 70.83%, attitude – 80.83%, practice – 67.08%. Post-intervention, the knowledge increased to 78.83%, the attitude improved to 84.16%, and practice decreased slightly to 65%. There was a significant correlation between knowledge gain and some demographic variables. Conclusion: The systematic education program effectively improved the knowledge and attitude of health-care workers towards COVID-19 BMW management. These improvements, however, should be sustained by regular hands-on training and continuous professional development to have optimum and safe waste management practice in the healthcare facility.