Unfavourable working conditions a risk to flower farm workers health

Medics in Naivasha now say there is a possibility that workers in flower farms in the area are affected by the chemicals they come into contact with in their places of work.

This emerged during a free medical camp organised by ARN Security Company at Kamere trading center in Naivasha where more than 3,000 people, most of them flower farm workers, were treated for various illnesses.

According to the medics, close to 70 per cent of the workers are prone to diseases associated with toxic chemicals used in the production of flowers.

Dr Kenneth Shinga, who led a group of volunteer medics in the program, said most workers at the flower farms are experiencing chest and back pains.

“Most of the problems we’ve seen here are lower back pain, chest pains, headaches and abdominal pains,” he said.

“It’s a bit dusty so it could be because of the dust that they’re having the chest pains. Most of the patients we’re seeing here are working in the flower farms so it could be maybe an effect of the drugs that are being used there. We could not tell conclusively why they’re having the chest pains but it could be from their environment or it could be from their work,” he explained.