Governor Ngilu leads team in disposing cancerous asbestos tiles

Governor Ngilu leads team in disposing cancerous asbestos tiles

Kitui Governor, Charity Ngilu, has on Wednesday, October 11 led a team from the county government in removing asbestos tiles that were allegedly damped in the area by a local contractor.

Absestos which refers to six naturally occurring fibrous minerals is dangerous and when inhaled it can cause fatal and serious diseases such as lung cancer.

Exposure to asbestos does not affect people immediately, it often takes a long time to develop and once it is diagnosed it often too late according to health experts.

“People in this area were unhappy because the asbestos were disposed here without any safety mechanism. This has led to degradation of environment as well as health problems to the locals around,” said Governor Ngilu.

In 2013, a report by medical experts revealed that Kenya is using about 10 percent of its health budget to treat asbestos-related cancers.

The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) then advised the government to implement initiatives that will lead to replacement of asbestos with the common iron sheets.

 

Studies have shown that asbestos is made of components that cause cancer. PHOTO BY JACKSON MULI.
Some of the asbestos sheets disposed in unconventional means in Kitui East. PHOTO BY JACKSON MULI.

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lung cancer KITUI COUNTY Asbestos

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