A hospital wallowing in toxic medical waste?Impossible! That is how I would have replied to the above question until I saw the front page picture of stinking uncollected garbage of the Gov. CelestinoGallaresMemorial Regional Hospital published by the Bohol Sunday Post in last Sunday’s issue. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I had to rub my eyes twice with the back of my palm to make sure that I was not seeing an illusion. There it was staring at me. The public will understand if one, two or even three days of garbage could not be properly disposed of because of valid reasons like the garbage truck was down. But for weeks, months and years? No reason could be ever valid when one talks of hospital waste. The Post said the news went viral in the net. It is okay to go viral in the internet. What is terrifying and tragic is when the garbage becomes real viral and contaminates and cause disease to the public.

I won’t even mind if tourists decide to back out from their scheduled trips to Bohol to escape what possible illness or disease it might inflict on them. What I am worried is what it can do to the Boholanos and especially the Tagbilaranons who could suffer from an epidemic that the uncollected and stinking garbage can come upon them. The reports said “according to several hospital insiders, the toxic garbage has attracted giant worms and rats and encouraged thousands of flies to swarm in and out of the hospital buildings round the clock.” If this is true, and we have no reason to doubt their testimony being hospital insiders, are we aware of the magnitude of the problem to the health of Tagbilaranons, and those particularly who are now confined at the said hospital? The news reports said the Capitol has no power over the Gallares Hospital. That may be true as far as supervision of its management and services are concerned. But definitely the city government of Tagbilaran and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) have supervision over all institutions and establishments in its territory as far as garbage situation is concerned. The health of the populace in every local government unit is the responsibility of city and municipal hall officials. What happened to city hall? Why has it not seen the piling of uncollected or undisposed garbage for a long time now? Some heads including the hospital officials must roll if not chopped.

I understand that the management of Gallares Hospital decided to dig a hole inside the hospital compound where its garbage could be dumped because of the problem with city hall in the past. Tagbilaran City did not want to collect the garbage of hospitals and even of the Provincial Capitol anymore because of the limited space in its dump site. In fact the provincial Capitol also dug a hole where its garbage could be dumped near the provincial motor pool compound. But the provincial garbage dumping hole is on a continuous monitoring to make sure that its condition is always within allowable state under its environmental management system (EMS). Does Gallares Hospital not have an EMS program being implemented? When toxic garbage starts to overflow even from its safest place, the public should not only fear for their life’s well-being. The people should panic and demand immediate action. At the least DENR or City Hall should issue a closure order to the hospital. I am sorry to sound over alarmist. No, I am now in over panic mode. What about you dear readers from Bohol and Tagbilaran?