Senior Reporter
kevon.felmine@guardian.co.tt
As the stench of rotting biohazard waste mounted at the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH) yesterday, workers were consulting with their unions, as they were concerned about their safety.
Guardian Media yesterday saw hundreds of red and yellow bags piled up near the furnace on the compound, which workers said was down. It has been weeks since the bags began piling up, workers claimed. However, there were men in protective gear moving some of the bags yesterday.
Contacted for a response on the issue, the South West Regional Health Authority (SWRHA) said the situation was under control. The SWRHA said it was aware of photos circulating on social media, released by a staff member, which showed several waste bags lying in a secured area of the SFGH.
The SWRHA said it decommissioned the furnace in favour of a new environmentally friendly Autoclave Unit, consistent with its thrust for a clean and healthy environment. The unit sterilises harmful bacteria using high-pressure steaming.
The authority denied the workers’ claim that the waste had been there for weeks, saying it was only a matter of days and was already being taken care of.
“The transient accumulation of waste that occurred due to some transitional staffing issues is currently receiving the attention of the Human Resources Department,” the SWRHA said.