Chief Environmental Health Officer Anthony Scotland has said poor garbage disposal and inadequate management of waste disposal are factors that could increase cases of leptospirosis in Dominica.
There are to date more than a dozen reported cases of the deadly disease on the island.
“We pride Dominica as the Nature Island of the Caribbean and the concept is selling a clean country and I think if the Dominican population begins to think about that, sanitation has to become a lifestyle,” Scotland said.
He said Dominicans have made improvements in their garbage disposal practices but there is still need for improvement.
Leptospirosis is a disease caused by infection with bacteria of the genus Leptospira that affects humans as well as other mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles.
The infection is commonly transmitted to humans by allowing water that has been contaminated by animal urine to come in contact with unhealed breaks in the skin, the eyes, or with the mucous membranes.
Symptoms of leptospirosis include high fever, severe headache, chills, muscle aches, and vomiting, and may include jaundice, red eyes, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rash. Initial presentation may resemble pneumonia. The symptoms in humans appear after a 4–14 day incubation period.
Mr Scotland set the example do your work properly
WE DO ALWAYS SO !!
We encourage the poor sanitation and the improper disposal of trash by providing ineffective services. the practice of leaving garbage on street corners to wait for a pick up is unacceptable.
Have you seen what Bath estate looksllike, the corner by Blow, it smells an dit is coverned in hindreds of plastic bags containing trash. Peopl have to walk past it, drvie on it, drive trhough it. It is NASTY.And Bath Estate is just an example, it happens in many other areas too. INCLUDING ROSEAU
Every household should have a trash can for their disposal one that can be shut closed, and only on the days of pick up should that can be put into the streets. It should be a law.
Chief Environmental Health Officer Anthony Scotland has said poor garbage disposal and inadequate management of waste disposal are factors that could increase cases of leptospirosis in Dominica. Just think carefully of that statement and visualize the present method of garbage disposal. Dominicans in all the communities were told to place their garbage of all sorts by the roadside so that the DSWMC trucks would pick them up on specified days. As a result of that method, piles upon piles of rubbish, many placed in untied plastic bags, create eye sores along the road sides. Garbage is placed overnight. Dogs, cats, rats, cockroaches feast on that. That is open ground for all kinds of diseases. At least with the skips, garbage was stored in a container with some covered.
Has the Environmental Health Officer and the Dept. given thought to that ill-conceived method of garbage disposal? Should Dominicans conclude that such poor garbage disposal and inadequate management are some of the causes that have increased insanitary problems and cases of leptospirosis? Worse is to come if that method of garbage disposal is not done away with for a much better system. Worse is to come if our people continue to disregard our lovely environment. Worse is to come if our people do not place emphasis on protection, conservation and preservation of our unique environment. After all my people we are all part of that environment. STOP KILLING yourselves slowly.
@ Jah-man: You self don’t even bother to complain about Solid Waste…I bet you are one of those that not paying your garbage rates….Dominicans don’t want to pay a little $11.50 to get their garbage cleared….all you don’t want to invest in poubelles or a drum to put your rubbish in…no, all you believe because all you put de rubbish in plastic shopping bags and put it by the side of the road that it taken care of??? A simple investment in covered poubelles and drums can go a looonnng way towards reducing garbage disposal in Dominica.
And before you start to run your mouth, no, I don’t work for Solid Waste.
All of us have to play our part in garbage disposal.
I did buy a large sturdy bin ($150 EC in Roseau)! I pay my rates unlike many other individuals. I have every right to complain!!! It is just improper management at the DSWMC now.
since solid waste come lepto come. we use to deal with our garbage properly now solid waste come and take our money leavin us with ratospirosis stupes.
dominicans has become very lazy,cleaning around the home does not take time.also all the imported processes food that is coming into the country more garbage which equalls rats.
Its a fact .Many Dominicans careless in the way they dispose of garbage.The same way u all went to the store to buy the stuffs u used its contents at least take care of the con way.tainers properly. Put your garbage out on specified days in your area .Tie the bags properly. Also the stray dogs are another aspect we need to deal with . People tie your dogs.Marway chien zor.They spreading the garbage like wild fire. To the men who cleaning the drains on behalf of the councils in ur districts do better than that .carry bags to put what u collect in the drains .When you throw it in the bushes u havent cleaned at all.Do it the proper way.
Dominicans have become ttttoooo dam lazy. Now they have the Chinese to blame for their nastiness.
If I was Skeritt,I would close down the whole environmental Department and privatize it. The head Nega in charge not doing his job.
Toooooo many food establishments in Roseau serving unsanitary food, not even fit for animal consumption. For example on either side of the west bridge, along the Roseau river and Independence street on a Sunday morning just to name a few. Stop playing games with the lives of Dominican and do what you guys are paid to do. Its not a friendship ting or money under the table.
Its time to get real, what are guys waiting for, Dominicans to die like flies.
you guys give some funny comments, but on a matter such like this who do we blame. we know the cause of the disease,we know how it is transmitted, so we should know how to prevent it. there are no more skips to pic up garbage nor is a person going to be a “jesus” and go around with his van picking up garbage to go pay a few hundred at solid waste….so who is to be blamed….there is a system in place to collect garbage and if that system fails then there is going to be serious problems like lepto. i mean that has brought about fears in my eating habits and i am sure its not me alone….if its up to me i sit in roseau with a gun and wait in the night to do some hunting…
re-neg maron;i find you are too ignorant for my liking.every thing for all you is a politicks,i no longer live in dominica but thats my home and i am playing my part even i dont live there any more.to be saying a thing like that it is just pure ignorant go do your share to clean up the nature isle and stop being a BOOOOOOOOOOOOOBOOOOOOOOOOO.
I have sitaution where my neigbour throws all their gabbage in an empty lot near where i leave and this is caused for concerns.
You need to tell that to the DSWMC. Them people think picking up my rubbish ONCE (1) a week is OK and sometimes they pass ONCE every TWO weeks. It always have to be me or one of my neighbors to call them to remember to pass. Pure non-sense. I tired of that now (going on for too long). I spreading rat bait all over the place but sure enough rats still around.
Everyman has his job. If you don’t want to collect the rubbish or manage the guys who do give up the job to someone else. It have plenty fellas around without job who would welcome a salary.
what appen to that south african man that was going to do all the rubbish and cars in jimmit do any one no?
Why aren’t we pushing recycling. That would be a great industry that helps the country in every positive way. It would eliminate alot of trash, curve the spread of diseases, help beautify the surrounding environment, create jobs, create raw materials for local use and export, put money into the hands of folks willing to recycle and assist in further promoting Dominica as an eco-tourism destination.
This is a symptom of the cheap and disposable goods coming from China.
Dominica the Nature Isle is now Dominica the RAT Heaven. This is just the
begining.We have abandoned our “natural way of life” and we shall suffer.
you are right. Instead of quality goods from dominica that have multiple uses everything is imported cheap from china. The cheap china stuff is only good for one use which leads to more garbage. I will say it would be better if a bin system was implemented like in the states