An Overview of Disease and Health Research Vol. 12

Background: During the healthcare delivery process, hazardous wastes can be generated from health facilities. Improper healthcare waste management is responsible for the transmission of dangerous bloodborne pathogens to health workers.

Aim: This systematic review aimed to evaluate the risk management of medical waste among health care workers in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methodology: Literature review employed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA). The systematic identification, screening and inclusion of relevant literature was conducted using PubMed, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar. The review was conducted among sub-Saharan countries on the risk management of hazardous medical waste among health care workers.

Results: Electronic databases from PubMed, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar yielded 4942 articles. The duplicates removed from the records were 2321. Full-text articles assessed were 127, from which 25 studies met the inclusion criteria. It was identified that activities taking place in healthcare facilities produce high-risk types of waste. Waste treatment methods and technologies pose a risk to healthcare workers in sub-Saharan Africa. In sub-Saharan Africa, there are ineffective practices, resource limitations and regulatory deficiencies in the management of healthcare waste. Also, there is illegal dumping and poor medical waste disposal systems.

Conclusion: The existing healthcare waste management framework and management systems must be re-examined to fill functional gaps and allocate the required resources.