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An approach for analysis of the effects of COVID-19 on ranking of hospitals based on waste management practices

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Abstract

A hospital is a health care organization that provides services to treat the patient with specialized medical personnel, nursing staff with medicine, equipment and offers lifestyles-saving services to human beings. The hospital waste generated during the epidemic diseases like novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has led to an extra burden on the hospitals to control illness and significantly accelerated the biomedical waste generation rate. The abrupt spread of the COVID-19 virus has resulted in a significant increase in bio-medical waste, which has worsened the problem of medical waste management in India. In this study, the RIAM technique and sustainability model analysis the severity of COVID-19 on hospitals and compares the waste management practices of various hospitals before and during COVID-19. In addition, for comparing purposes, the environmental performance index is used in conjunction with RIAM scores. The Hospital "G" chosen as the most viable sustainability option during COVID-19, while Hospital "E" chosen as the most sustainable hospital in times prior to the COVID-19. The K Hospital is ranked worst of the hospitals surveyed in both before and during COVID-19. Only a few hospitals follow the biomedical waste management rules and COVID-19 guidelines for safe BMW management and the hospitals exert an extra load of waste due to epidemic conditions.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Prayagraj Nagar Nigam (PNN), all the hospital employees, waste collection workers, experts, and the local people for help in data collection and survey during fieldwork.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology Allahabad, Prayagraj, 211004, India

    Neha Khaljhunia & Nekram Rawal

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  1. Neha Khaljhunia
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  2. Nekram Rawal
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Correspondence to Nekram Rawal.

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Khaljhunia, N., Rawal, N. An approach for analysis of the effects of COVID-19 on ranking of hospitals based on waste management practices. J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 26, 1056–1070 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-023-01883-6

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