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Momodou
Denmark
11787 Posts |
 Posted - 03 Mar 2008 : 14:32:39
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Foroyaa Editorial
Health Risk To Tipper Garage Drivers
Urgent Action Required
We wish to share the agony and anguish the drivers and other users of the premises of Tipper Garage Car Park in the Serrekunda suburb of Bakoteh are enduring because of the lack of proper excreta disposal system and over congestion. It is indeed welcoming and moreover timely for the affected community of the aforementioned public place to make their plight known to the general populace, particularly the concerned authorities for swift redress or intervention.
According to the story in the Foroyaa publication, the state for the motor park is rather deplorable and inconceivable as it is grossly unfit for human habitation. Health, which has been vividly defined by World Health Organisation as the complete state of physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, has had its philosophy threatened by the car park’s unhygienic environmental condition.
Suffice to say that the unsound environmental scene besieging Tipper Garage - lack of latrine and congestion - have the potent to expose the users to life threatening communicable diseases like cholera and tuberculosis. The act of open or scattered defaecation by drivers and passengers can promote the outbreak of diarrhoeal diseases within the garage dwellers as faeco-oral transmission or infection of bacterial agents can easily take place. The presence of food vendors in such an unfriendly health environment amidst congestion puts the health of the car park worker and even visitors at risk since the food offered for sale is prone to contamination, resulting into gastro-enteritis or other associated health problems such a helmint infestations, cholera, diarrhoea and dysentery.
It should be borne in mind by all and sundry that poor sanitation can spread disease through effective exposure to contaminated soils, skin contact with contaminated water, drinking contaminated water, eating contaminated animals or plants. This is precisely the reason why health experts recommend that defecation areas should be far from water storage and treatment facilities, down hill of settlements and water sources, far from public buildings or roads, not in field crops grown for human consumption, far from food storage or preparatory areas, and at least 30 metres from water sources which of course depends on the function of soil factor.
However, environmentally sound management goes beyond the mere safe disposal or recovery of wastes that are generated and seeks to address the root cause of the problem by attempting to change unsustainable patterns of production and consumption. This implies the application of the integrated life cycle management concept, which presents a unique opportunity to reconcile development with environmental protection.
Therefore, the untold poor sanitary condition at Tippa Garage taxi park as highlighted by the report can be addressed easily by constructing a simple pit latrine with a reasonable depth about 2 metres; supported by a good superstructure with a cover slab or tight fitting lid. The brunt of the associated health implications is being shouldered by the drivers who spend the day at the taxi park. This is one of KMC’s responsibilities. Foroyaa will get in touch to find out what they intend to do.
Needless to say, the erection of a simple pit latrine at the taxi park will greatly minimise the problem of odour and flies, thus transforming the environment into a relatively conducive place for habitation. Please don’t wait any longer, act now, as the saying goes, “prevention is better than cure”.
Source:Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issues
Issue No. 26/2008, 3 - 4 March, 2008
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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