Health Ministry, WHO begin effort to disinfect ravaged neighborhoods

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Health Ministry, WHO begin effort to disinfect ravaged neighborhoods

By Iman Azzi

Special to The Daily Star

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

The Daily Star Lebannon Mon, 28 Aug 2006 1:17 PM PDT

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BEIRUT: The World Health Organization (WHO) and Lebanese Health

Ministry on Sunday launched the Debris and Rubble Disinfection

Campaign, aimed at sanitizing destroyed buildings across the country

as a precaution against mold and rodents.

Health Minister Mohammad Jawad Khalifa attended the campaign's

kickoff in Beirut's suburbs. Haret Hreik, Ghoberi, Bourj al-Barajneh

and Shiyyah were the first areas to be sprayed with insecticide.

Spraying of the southern suburbs continued on Monday as Sukleen

employees worked their way through the four districts. Sukleen

provided the disinfectants, while the WHO distributed face masks to

those working with the campaign, which next heads to the South,

where residents have started to complain of increased rodents from

the rubble, said WHO representative Nohal al-Homsi.

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Homsi added the WHO has donated disinfectant to be used in

Marjayoun, Asseybeh, Bint Jbeil, Tyre and Nabatieh, and hopes to

cover the Bekaa Valley by the end of the week.

Once the rubble is removed and the devastated areas are cleared a

second coat of disinfectant will be sprayed before any future

construction begins.