Public Dumping
Public dumping of domestic waste has become a health hazard sore that is affecting populations living in urban areas. The practice has led to increased cases of communicable diseases, especially among children. This menace has persisted despite efforts by community groups to sensitize their communities on the effect of waste dumping is having on their health. The local governments have also not taken any initiative to address the issue at hand. Open dumping is predisposing the communities to the outbreak of dangerous communicable infections like cholera and typhoid.
Reasons for Support
The continued public dumping is a predisposing the society’s most vulnerable members (the children) to the contraction of dangerous communicable infections. There is a need to address the issue to ensure that a break-out does not occur in the near future.
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Public dumping means that the unrecyclable wastes such as plastics and toxic wastes are finding way into public resources like rivers, water reservoirs, and forests, endangering the safety of wild animals and human beings while affecting the eco-balance.
Wastes dumped are an aesthetic eyesore especially within residential areas, where heaps of dumps continue to pile everywhere (Alam & Ahmade, 2013).
Implications for the Nursing Profession and Patients
The outbreak of communicable diseases place a strain on the nursing staff in treating the sick and trying to contain their spread.
The fact that those affected (especially children) have little or no role in the outbreak or their containment means nurses must collude with community and outreach groups to try to mitigate the spread of the infections. This is costly and time consuming.
Treatment of these infections is also costly especially since it involves setting measures beyond those of treatment and buying medicines. Continued and improved cleanliness measures are demanded by the patients’ family to address the infections.
Patients affected lack any control in addressing the menace since the spread of these infections is beyond their immediate control. This means they (the patients and their family) live in constant worry of possible re-infection (Alam & Ahmade, 2013).
Recommendations
There is a need to amend the current existing policy on waste collection, dumping, and recycling, and instead adopt more stringent measures on dumping and disposal of waste. Upon amendment, there is a need to set policy guidelines on those authorities in charge of waste collection and recycling, in an effort to ensure that they collect these wastes timely. These guidelines also need to ensure the public plays an active role in demanding and ensuring safe and responsible waste collection within their communities.
Reference
Alam, P., & Ahmade, K. (2013). Impact of Solid Waste on Health and the Environment. International Journal of Sustainable Development and Green Economics (IJSDGE). 2. 165-168.
