SPECIAL REPORT: How beaches are drowning in trash

The Kawe and Rainbow beaches in Tanzania, once popular with city dwellers, tourists and lovers of local delicacies such as cassava, fried fish and grilled bananas, have now turned into places of misery. In an exclusive interview Dr Wilbroad Kyejo of the Aga Khan Hospital in Dar es Salaam, explains in detail the health effects of beach pollution, especially plastic. Dr Kyejo says polluted water in coastal areas carries dangerous microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses and parasites such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium which cause epidemic diseases such as diarrhea, cholera, hepatitis A and intestinal infections (gastroenteritis). Dr Kyejo advises the government, environmental stakeholders and society in general to strengthen beach cleaning campaigns, provide education about the effects of plastic and oversee the implementation of policies to reduce the use of plastic to protect the health of people and marine life.