Environmental Health Officers have been urged to get their own house in order.
Geriatric Hospital nurses, referring to Acting Chief Environmental Officer David Watson's recent threat to crack down on homeowners caught breeding mosquitoes on their properties, have called on Watson to look into the build-up of garbage and stagnant water at the hospital, which also falls under the Ministry of Health.
"We think it is ridiculous that this department can be threatening members of the public about mosquitoes when the elderly, the most vulnerable people, are being bitten every night," said one staffer. Along with mosquitoes, the grass and rubbish at the Geriatric Hospital is said to be a breeding ground for rodents, cockroaches and other pests.
Environmental health officers (formerly public health inspectors) are responsible for supervising the sanitary conditions of the hospital, but Daily Nation investigations revealed that there were only four general workers assigned to help with cleaning and maintenance there. Workers have also balked at carrying out certain duties because of a lack of proper protective equipment, reports indicated.
"I don't think it is fair to the old people," one nurse said. "We challenge the environmental officers to go around to the back of the hospital and see the grass and the rubbish. Also by the old Rehab Centre," another staffer added.
Manager of the Geriatric Hospital, Ronald Price, told the Daily Nation he was satisfied with the way the hospital's grounds were maintained, and said he was not aware of any complaints from staffers.
"If they never complain to the people who are in charge, how can they say that going to the media is a last resort?" Price asked.
Recently, Watson was quoted as saying that from this month environmental officers might have to move to prosecute homeowners who allowed mosquitoes to breed. However, efforts to reach Watson yesterday proved futile.