2011-11-27 16:23
Malalane – Children at an Mpumalanga school have been caught playing with dumped medical syringes and needles belonging to the provincial health department.
Children at Louisville Combined School in Nkomazi were caught with syringes and needles that had been dumped with some unused condoms near the school.
“We were reliably informed that the condoms and the needles were unused, but we still believe that the children should visit a doctor just to check that they did not contract any diseases,” said provincial health and social development spokesperson Dumisani Mlangeni.
Mlangeni said the syringes, needles and condoms had been part of promotional material.
He said either a department employee or a service provider contracted by the department had dumped the materials.
“Once the people have been exposed, they will deal with the police because this is criminal,” he said.
Mlangeni appealed to the public to always alert the department of any illegal dumping of health materials in order to “save the lives of our children”.
Local clinic
Local resident Sibongile Lushaba told African Eye New Service that children had collected the syringes needles and went home and started injecting themselves.
“We were told that the medical waste was dumped by the local clinic, but when we approached them they distanced themselves from the situation,” said Lushaba.
Louisville Combined School deputy principal Maria Mabuza referred questions to the provincial education department.
Education spokesperson Jasper Zwane said the department was waiting for the health department to complete its investigation.
“We are waiting for the health department’s report, and we will take it from there,” said Zwane.
The parents of the children were not immediately available for comment.
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