The Nigerian Medical Association, Plateau branch, has expressed concerns over uncleared refuse heaps that have taken over major streets in the Jos-Bukuru metropolis, noting that it posed a threat to public health.
The branch Chairman, Dr. Bapiga’an Audu, said this to the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Jos.
He said the refuse serves as a breeding site for vectors and rodents that transmit diseases to humans.
Dr. Audu said, ” This refuse heaps serves as an abode for vectors such as houseflies, mosquitoes and rodents that transmits gastrointestinal diseases, malaria and Lassa fever to humans.”
According to him, the refuse heaps have also contaminated underground water and the various water bodies within the Jos-Bukuru metropolis.
He further lamented that the state ranked top among those with the largest number of open defecation and that coupled with the issue of uncleared refuse, more issues of endemic diseases would arise.
Dr. Audu called on the government to prioritise the health of its citizens by ensuring that the wastes are cleared.
He noted that the waste could be converted to biofuel, while those that cannot be converted, be recycled.
The branch chairman said the act would keep the metropolis clean and in turn, create jobs for the youth as well as increase the state’s Internally Generated Revenue.
General Manager, Plateau Environmental Protection and Sanitation Agency, Mr. Gabriel Bako, attributed the development to the breakdown of vehicles used for waste evacuation.
He said some of the vehicles have been fixed and waste evacuation had resumed.
(NAN)
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