Poor Waste Disposal Habits Linked to Diseases

University of the West Indies (UWI) Professor Horace Fletcher is imploring Jamaicans to practice proper waste disposal habits in order to guard against diseases such as Zika, Dengue, Leptospirosis, Malaria, and Chikungunya.

He said there is a strong link between these diseases and improper waste disposal.

“It is amazing that people have not yet made the connection between how they dispose of their waste and why they and their children always seem to get sick,” he said, at a technical update meeting on Zika, Guillain–Barre  syndrome and Microcephaly held recently on the Mona campus.

Professor Fletcher, who is Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences, said he is heartened by the recent announcement by Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, regarding the implementation of a comprehensive waste disposal programme.

This includes the beautification of cities and townships, separation of degradable from non-degradable waste at source, and divestment of the Riverton City landfill into a waste to energy operation.

He said the measure will address the pile up of plastic bottles in public spaces.

“We have so many plastic bottles over the place and we have to do something. We can’t just keep piling up these plastic bottles over the place and expect that Jamaica will remain a paradise,” Professor Fletcher noted.

He said Jamaicans must take responsibility for ensuring the cleanliness of their surroundings. “We all have to teach each other and remind each other to do our part and appreciate the link between bad practices and disease,” he noted.

The function was organised by the Ministry of Health, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and UWI.