Development of an Infectious Waste Management Model in Communities in Sing Buri Province

Abstract

This action research aimed to study the situation, problems, and obstacles in infectious waste management in communities and to develop a management model for infectious waste in Singburi Province. The study was divided into four phases. Phase 1: Study the situation using a questionnaire in a sample group of 61 people and 3 focus groups of 10 people each. Found 1) Local Administrative Organization (LAO), lacked policies, management plans, and knowledgeable personnel for infectious waste management. 2) Healthcare service providers had no clear guidelines for managing patients discharged back into the community. 3) Stakeholders have problems in sorting, collecting, transporting and disposing of infectious waste. Phase 2: A draft infectious waste management model called the “4M6S Model” was developed for LAO, healthcare service providers, and community stakeholders: 4M model includes M1 (Man): Define organizational roles and build networks. M2 (Management and Money): Establish management systems and allocate budgets. M3 (Maturity): Create community-driven operational guidelines. M4 (Memorandum of Understanding): Develop public policies and mutual agreements. And 6S include S1(Service) Provide services within the community and healthcare facilities. S2(System) Implement an infectious waste tracking system in the community. S3 (Social Information): Continuous public information campaigns. S4(Separate): Promoting waste segregation in the community. S5 (Supervising): Monitor and encourage stakeholders. S6 (Support): Provide an appropriate support system. Phase 3: Test the model and make improvements. Phase 4: Evaluation of the models results showed that 83.33% of LAO, established infectious waste management policies. 100% of healthcare service providers complied with infectious waste management standards. Local administrative organizations with patients with infectious waste have properly disposed of them at 96.00%.