By Prince J Musa in Kenema
Patients admitted at the Kenema government hospital and their visitors have expressed serious concern over the offensive odor from the maternity area where health workers disposed of hospital waste placentas after pregnant delivery.
Mamie Kamara, a patient admitted at the hospital told politico that they have complained about the situation many to the hospital management but nothing has been done to “save us from this stench that is depriving us of fresh air.”
Joseph Brima who was visiting a sick relative said the authorities need to intervene to address the issues in the hospital so that people do not contract other diseases in the process of seeking medication. Brima accused the hospital management of inefficiency for failing to deal with a long running problem.
The Secretary of the hospital management body Foday Saffa acknowledged that indeed the offensive stench comes from where the nurses dispose of the placenta and other hospital waste after child birth but “we have taken all necessary steps to stop the foul smell but no avail,” he said.
He added that the hospital management has approached the NGO, MSF to see how best they could help in that direction and “MSF has promised to help with that but the only option may be to relocate the disposition of placentas to another area within the hospital. We need to construct new sites because it’s embarrassing at times, especially when the wind blows and the odor becomes very aggressive.”
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