By Elizabeth Larkwor Baah
Boade, Oct. 17, GNA — Residents of Buade, a community in Nungua, have threatened to demonstrate against the LEKMA Polyclinic over concerns about smoke from its incinerator, which they say is affecting their health and livelihoods.
The residents alleged that the thick, black smoke released during burning activities caused coughing, eye irritation, and chest pains among children and elderly people in the community.
They said some children became ill and were unable to attend school, while others struggled to breathe whenever the burning took place.
Madam Matilda Adjei, a resident, said the smoke made it difficult for her children to sleep in their rooms, forcing them to spend the night in her room whenever the burning occurred, and expressed concern about the possible effects of the smoke on the children’s health, disclosing that she was considering relocating from the community if the situation persisted.
Madam Adjei called for urgent intervention to protect residents from what she described as the harmful effects of the smoke.
Madam Matilda Dogbe, a shop owner, also complained about the thick, black smoke emitted into the atmosphere during the burning activities and said the situation had become a source of concern for residents, who feared the potential health risks associated with repeated exposure to the smoke.
The residents further expressed fears about the possibility of fire hazards arising from the burning activities and called on the relevant authorities to investigate the situation.
Meanwhile, Mrs Gifty Ofori-Yeboah, chief executive officer of Eco Impact Network, mentioned that research had proven that 5900 children under 20 died from air pollution in 2023, while 4541 under ten died f
ts, particularly through respiratory conditions such as asthma, chronic bronchitis and redu rom household smoke, and 12,790 within the age of 50 to 85 died from household smoke.
Mrs Ofori Yeboah said that exposure to smoke could pose serious long-term health risks to residen ced lung function, saying that prolonged exposure could also increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and, depending on the pollutants involved, lung cancer.
She said she had engaged the community, whose members signed a petition and copied it to the assembly and LEKMA Polyclinic, saying that following the petition, it temporarily halted the burning, but the activity resumed last Tuesday.
Mr Albert Odartey Mills, Administrator at LEKMA Polyclinic explained that the facility has an incinerator constructed with support from UNICEF and provided by the Ministry of Health through the Ghana Health Service.
Mr Mills said the incinerator was designed for burning medical vaccine sharps, including needles, syringes and pipettes, and had a long chimney to direct smoke upwards, adding that other solid waste was routinely collected by Zoomlion.
He maintained that the incinerator had filters and was regularly inspected by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which has issued the facility a current certification.
He disclosed that the facility had previously received complaints through the municipal assembly and had submitted a formal response with supporting documentation.
He said the topmost part of the incinerator may require maintenance; as such, the contractors would be contacted to carry out the necessary repairs.
GNA
Edited by Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo/Kenneth Odeng Adade