Epidemic Warning in
Managua
The Health Ministry of
Nicaragua (Minsa) warned
of a serious threat of
epidemic due to
accumulated decomposing
garbage in the streets.
El Nuevo Diario reported
Wednesday that garbage
has not been collected
for over nine days in
Managua, which Minsa
specialists and city
mayor Dionisio Marenco
consider a hazard for
the 1.2 million
residents.
Although Minsa official
Dr. Julio Caldera said
there has been no
diseases yet, the
accumulated 5,000 tons
of garbage could cause
an outbreak of dengue,
diarrhea and
leptospirosis if city
authorities do not help
settle the crisis.
President Daniel Ortega
has threatened state
involvement if the
matter over control of
sales of recyclables is
not settled.
The nearly 2,000
self-employed garbage
collectors accuse
municipal authorities of
signing an accord with
export companies to shut
them out, using trucks
to select the best
recyclable material and
sell to companies
contracted with the
Mayor's office.
Recycling yielded
Nicaragua us$16 million
in 2007 but the business
does not ease the social
drama of thousands who
seek their living from
garbage. |
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