Knowledge and practices of doctors and nurses about management of health care waste at Johannesburg Hospital in the Gauteng Province, South Africa

ABSTRACT Introduction: The Gauteng Province in South Africa is home to four large hospitals which generate enormous amounts of waste. However, no formal study has been done to asses the magnitude of this problem. Health care waste falls under a cluster of waste which is regarded as hazardous due to its composition and therefore ability to transmit disease. It has become an important type of waste mainly because of its ability to transmit HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B and C among other infectious diseases. This study attempted to address the knowledge and practices of doctors and nurses, which are just some of the factors which influence health care waste management. Aims: The main aim of this study was to evaluate the current knowledge and practices of doctors and nurses regarding the management of health care waste. Methods: This was a descriptive cross sectional study. A self administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. A total sample of 128 doctors and nurses was drawn from the Johannesburg Hospital, an academic hospital in the Gauteng Province. Results: Although there was overall lack of awareness about the existence of the international, national, provincial and local documents (Act, Regulation, Manual, Code of Practice and Policies) regulating heath care waste management, the majority of the respondents (84%) knew about the existence of the Johannesburg Hospital’s policy on waste management. Generally, knowledge of nursing staff was significantly higher than that of doctors. Although some good practices such as use of gloves were reported, there is generally a lack of knowledge about key documents regulating health care waste, particularly among the doctors. Conclusion: This study was the first of its kind to be done at the Hospital. As the Hospital policy is more accepted and accessible to the health professionals than the other documents investigated in this study, it should be updated regularly to incorporate new changes. The Hospital should not only make that policy document more easily accessible and visible but also strive to reach doctors with training in health care waste management. Continuous monitoring and evaluation is also necessary to ensure that policies and procedures are followed

Preserving the African memory: Critical challenges for ESARBICA archival organizations

The focus of this paper is on identifying challenges related to preservation of archives faced by member states of ESARBICA. A survey questionnaire was sent out to all. The research indicates that archival preservation measures are not a top priority for regional archival organizations. Records management and access to information contained in archives are given attention ahead of preservation. This is in contrast to the recommended practice of ensuring preservation of records through integration of preservation measures in the overall policies of archival organizations. The paper identifies various challenges which are common in the region and brings to the fore some of the consequences of continued neglect of preservation. It submits that without deliberate efforts of archival organizations to deal with the challenges identified, some of Africa's earliest documentary memory will be lost over time

Battling the appraisal backlog: A challenging professional obligation for Botswana National Archives and Records Services

This article discusses the challenges faced by Botswana NationalArchives and Records Services (BNARS) in addressing its appraisalbacklog. The backlog is a result of a fragmented records managementsystem where the Department played a custodial role for semicurrentrecords and preservation of archival records. Management of current records was not in the control of BNARS, but rather lay with creating agencies. For various reasons no appraisal was done in these agencies resulting in accumulation of unappraised materials. The backlog of unappraised records presents challenges of denying access to information which, according to law should be availed. It also presents a space management problem as Records Centres and records management units get congested with ephemeral records. The Department initially struggled to make an impact on the backlog, but with the introduction of new initiatives and resources significant progress has been made. An assessment of attempts to resolve the backlog is made and lessons are drawn from that. The challenges presented relate to professional records management matters, the records management structure in the public sector, human resource issues and BNARS operational issues. Ongoing strategies and planned solutions addressing the challenges are also discussed

U-Pb zircon age of the upper Palapye group (Botswana) and regional implications

The Palapye Group is exposed in central-eastern Botswana at the northern margin of the Kaapvaal Craton, north of the Zoetfontein/Palala Fault. The Lechana and Sunnyside faults bound it. The Palapye Group comprises five formations: Selika (oldest), Moeng