A Review of the Nigerian National Health Policy on Injection Safety and Healthcare Waste Management

Abstract

Background: Exposure to healthcare wastes increases the risk of transmission of blood-borne infections. Nigeria previously lacked an enabling environment for healthcare waste management, as it did not have a national healthcare waste management policy. Thus, the National policy on injection safety and healthcare waste management in Nigeria was developed to ensure infectious diseases being transmitted through unsterile injections, and improper healthcare waste are eradicated or minimized to the lowest minimum.

Aim: This study is aimed at reviewing the level of implementation and challenges of the Nigerian National Policy on injection safety and healthcare waste management.

Methodology: This review focused on the policy document, its implementation, successes and challenges.

Results: The areas of focus of the policy are communication and behavioral change, healthcare waste management, logistics, management (human resource development) as well as monitoring and evaluation. Implementation of this policy cut across the tiers of government, public institutions in addition to private stakeholders. The policy has been able to achieve training of healthcare workers on safe injection and behavioural change, better waste management practice, advocacy programs, development of guidelines for injection and healthcare waste management practices, construction and installation of waste facilities and mobilization of resources.

Conclusion: In spite of the achievements of the policy, inadequate training, ineffective legislature and absence of data were challenges facing this policy implementation despite the resources allocated to its implementation. Moreover, stated guidelines were not strictly followed and adhered to in all healthcare facilities. For the efficient and productive implementation of the policy, there should be continuous training of health workers, enforcement of guidelines and procedures, proper data collection and provision of necessary consumables.