Kenya residents warn against improper disposal of Hospital Waste

By Nneka Nwogwugwu

Residents of Maragua town in Murang’a County, Kenya have issued a one-week ultimatum to the authorities to stop dumping biomedical waste at a site near their homes.

In a recent letter to the county government, which is copied to the Maragua sub-county administrator and security committee, they say their health, environment and dignity have been compromised by the dumpsite.

“Every day, lorries carrying medical waste report to the area to dump highly risky waste. Among them are highly infectious waste materials that contain pathogens from laboratory cultures, isolation wards and swabs,” says the letter from residents coordinator Omar Maluki.

They say they do not understand why all hospitals in Murang’a would be permitted by officials to pool all biomedical waste and transport it to Maragua to dump it in an open field.

The letter also says the waste contains body parts, especially from amputations, foetuses, and blood and other body fluids.

“We are tired of waking up to orgies of dogs, rats and wild cats dragging human limbs and foetuses on the village paths from this dumpsite,” the letter says.

Other waste found at the dumpsite includes sharp objects like needles, infusion sets, scalpels, knives, blades and broken glass.

Murang’a Health Executive Joseph Mbai said the waste is supposed to be incinerated at that dumpsite “but we have a slight challenge that we are addressing”.

Murang’a South Sub-County Administrator Michael Gakungu said the incinerator has not been operational for a while.

“We are trying our level best to have it repaired. Meanwhile, we are coordinating among relevant stakeholders to first suspend the dumping on that site so as to address the crisis,” he said.