تقييم طرق التعامل مع المخلفات الطبية في مركز الزاوية الطبي التعليمي بمدينة الزاوية، ليبيا

Healthcare institutions play a crucial role in enhancing the quality of medical services provided to communities. However, they have increasingly become potential sources of harm to both individuals and the environment due to the medical waste they generate. This study aims to assess the environmental status of medical waste management at the Zawia teaching medical center, focusing on the processes of waste segregation, collection, transportation, storage, and final disposal. The research employed a questionnaire distributed to 72 participants, including medical staff, auxiliary health personnel, administrative employees, and waste handling workers, in addition to conducting personal interviews. The findings revealed a significant lack of health and environmental awareness among personnel responsible for medical waste disposal, as well as insufficient knowledge of the World Health Organization's guidelines on medical waste management. The study also found that the incinerator located within the center has been non-functional for a considerable period. Consequently, the study recommends implementing a proper system for segregating hazardous and non-hazardous medical waste at the source, providing personal protective equipment for waste workers, and enhancing coordination among relevant institutions to improve waste management systems. Moreover, it suggests temporarily reactivating the existing incinerator until environmentally safer alternative technologies become available. Keywords: Medical waste, Zawia Medical Center, waste management, medical staff