ASSESSING THE KNOWLEDGE OF HEALTHCARE WORKERS ON DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH MEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT IN EGOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

This study assessed the knowledge of healthcare workers on the dangers associated with medical waste management in Egor Local Government Area, Benin City, Edo State. The objectives were to determine healthcare workers’ knowledge of the dangers of medical waste, safe handling and disposal procedures, waste management practices, the relationship between knowledge and practice, and the extent to which demographic variables influence knowledge levels. The study adopted the descriptive survey design. The population consisted of 205 healthcare workers, and a purposive sample of 144 respondents directly involved in medical waste handling was selected. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire validated by experts, and reliability was established using the split-half method with a Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.742. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, Pearson ProductMoment Correlation and chi-square. Findings revealed that healthcare workers had high knowledge of the dangers associated with medical waste and substantial knowledge of safe handling and disposal procedures. Respondents also demonstrated strong understanding of waste management practices. A significant positive relationship was found between knowledge and waste management practices (r = 0.684, p < 0.001). The study concludes that knowledge plays a critical role in promoting safe waste management behaviors. It recommends continuous training, strict enforcement of waste management policies, adequate provision of PPE, and improved supervision in healthcare facilities