Garbage piling up everywhere in the capital causes respiratory illnesses. Some fokontany located around the temporary landfill on the Anosipatrana dike are sounding the alarm.
The situation is serious ! A large majority of residents who are near the waste piling up in the capital suffer from respiratory illnesses. Young children are particularly sensitive. This phenomenon mainly affects neighborhoods located near mountains of garbage. “Of the 40 consultations recorded during the day, 80% concern bronchiolitis. Among our patients, infants under six months old,” testifies a doctor from a basic health center in the capital. This is far from being an isolated case, especially in low-income neighborhoods where the drainage channels are blocked by garbage. For good reason, the residents had to scoop up the puddles in front of their huts following the torrential rains recorded in recent days. On the Anosipatrana dike, garbage piles up, overflows and generates nauseating odors which spread to the surrounding neighborhoods, particularly in Ilanivato and Ampangabe. “This household waste releases toxic gases. Children as well as people who already suffer from respiratory illnesses in these neighborhoods cannot stand the odors given off by the garbage from this dump site. We call on those responsible to take the necessary measures since this site constitutes a real danger for public health. alerts Dr. Odette Nirina Ravavitsara, a resident of the Ilanivato district.
Challenges
In the report of the Council of Ministers of January 17, 2024, the President of the Republic gave instructions to collect waste and clean up the city of Antananarivo as quickly as possible. The Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (MEAH) will collaborate with the Urban Commune of Antananarivo (CUA), and will deploy garbage trucks, donations from the Japanese Government, so that they can be used immediately upon the installation of the Chairman of the Special Delegation (PDS) of the AUC. While waiting for this appointment, waste continues to accumulate, creating a breeding ground for respiratory and dermatological diseases as well as eye irritations. The challenges to be met for this new PDS remain enormous, knowing that waste management has always been a major problem. It is not only a question of cleaning up the capital but of setting up a waste treatment center meeting the required quality standards.
Arranged by Rakotobe
