JEDDAH, 9 September — Twenty- three hepatitis cases have been reported in Jeddah as a result of the stench caused by the accumulation of garbage in the city’s residential districts, according to Dr. Mohammed Saeed Al-Ghamdi, assistant health director in Jeddah.
Al-Ghamdi was talking to Al-Madinah newspaper on the danger posed by the accumulation of garbage throughout the city over the past several weeks. But municipal officials stated that garbage accumulation had nothing to do with hepatitis cases.
"I tell you that accumulation of garbage anywhere in the world will pollute environment and cause health problems," Ghamdi told the Arabic daily. "The most dangerous disease caused by accumulation of garbage is hepatitis," Ghamdi said quoting a World Health Organization report.
"We have found more than 23 hepatitis cases in different hospitals and clinics in Jeddah and we have disclosed this figure only after conducting a field study by our team," he said.
The health department has already presented a report in this respect to the Health Ministry. The health team found seven cases of hepatitis in Hindawiya, nine in Sabeel, three in Gurayyat, three in Faisaliya and one in Rabwa.
Meanwhile, Jeddah Municipality stepped up efforts to contain the crisis by resorting to assistance from Makkah, Madinah and Taif municipalities. The municipality has taken a number of emergency measures to solve the problem speedily, Mayor Abdullah Al-Muallami said.
