A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF MEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT: GLOBAL TRENDS, PREVENTION AND POLLUTION CONTROL STRATEGIES

Medical waste management has emerged as a significant global environmental and public health concern, particularly in the context of increasing healthcare demand, industrialization, and the aftermath of the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic. This systematic review critically examines global trends in medical or Health-Care Waste (HCW) generation, associated pollution impacts, and the evolving prevention and control practices adopted across countries. It further provides an in-depth assessment of the Nigerian context, highlighting progress, persisting challenges, and sustainable pathways toward effective healthcare waste governance. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), World Bank, Pub Med, and Scopus databases, covering publications from 2014 to 2025. Studies included empirical analyses, policy reviews, and technical reports addressing waste generation, treatment, pollution impacts. The review reveals that global HCW generation has increased by 40–60% in the past decade, with the pandemic alone generating more than 25,000 tons of plastic and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) waste entering terrestrial and marine ecosystems. This surge has exposed longstanding weaknesses in segregation, storage, and disposal, particularly in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). While High-Income Countries (HICs) have increasingly adopted non-incineration technologies such as autoclaving, microwaving, and chemical disinfection, supported by circular economy frameworks and strict emission standards, Low- and Middle-Income Countries LMICs, including Nigeria, remain constrained by inadequate infrastructure, weak enforcement, and low institutional capacity. The Nigerian literature indicates that healthcare facilities rely heavily on open burning and crude incineration, resulting in significant air and soil pollution and heightened occupational health risks for waste handlers. Although the Federal Ministry of Health and National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) have established policy frameworks, implementation remains inconsistent due to funding and coordination gaps.