By Muhammed Kargbo
A public health officer has affirmed that unclean sewages could increase chances of polio virus leading to paralysis.
Mr Ba Kalilu Kijere, a regional program and public health officer, in an interview with The Voice disclosed that sewages that have accumulated overtime and left untreated in public places can increase the chances of transmission of polio virus which could lead to paralysis.
According to him, waste can be both solid and liquid and it has no segregation and one of its health hazards is that it can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes, reptiles and even a hiding place for snakes, “which can be very dangerous.”
He added that the odor that emits from these gutters is very unhealthy especially to those people living nearby and sometimes children are even tempted to collect objects in them and ended up injuring themselves severely with hidden sharp objects inside.
Mr Kijere explained that the smoke that usually emits from the Bakoteh dumpsite is as a result of chemical reaction that takes place when different kinds of waste are put together, chemical, biological, medical and even domestic waste all these are enough to set the whole place ablaze without anyone setting fire to it.
He explained further that different animals such as flies, dogs even cats feast in gutters and come back living with people, whatever diseases they contact there ended up been passed on to humans and “these are the reasons we should endeavor to clean them up at all times.”
He added that whoever that is responsible for the care of these gutters or sewages should make sure that they are regularly clean-up because it is in the public interest.
Meanwhile, Marie Secka, resident of Manjai who is having an open gutter in front of her house filled with refuse since a month said “this gutter has no slab on it, late at night people always empty their rubbish in it, the odor that comes out of it is terrible.”
In Kololi, Fatou Badjie, a resident has a similar complaint. She said for sometimes now “KMC no longer come we usually gather all the rubbishes in the neighborhood and burn them.”
According to her, they have been advised on a number of occasions to stop burning them, “they said smoke that comes out of it is very unhealthy, but we have no other option but to do it ourselves in order to keep our environment tidy.’’
Efforts were made by this reporter to speak to Kanifing Municipal Council officials on why these gutters are not clean but the reporter was sent back and forth by the garbage collection manager and the Public Relation Officer.
