Phuket governor launches health screenings for residents near Saphan Hin landfill
Phuket has started health screenings for more than 200 at-risk residents living near the Saphan Hin landfill after last month’s fire and ongoing environmental concerns.
Phuket Governor Nirat Pongsitthaworn has launched a health surveillance project for residents living near the Phuket Provincial Integrated Waste Disposal Centre in Saphan Hin, following concerns over long-term environmental impacts and last month’s landfill fire.
Nirat visited the Saphan Hin community in Wichit on Tuesday to open the programme at the Saphan Hin Village multipurpose building. The event was attended by Wichit Municipality Deputy Mayor Wiset Sabaijit, local leaders, community representatives and medical teams from Vachira Phuket Hospital, who carried out on-site health checks.
According to the governor, the province is concerned about the long-term effects on communities near the waste disposal centre, including persistent foul smells, insects and possible health risks. He said many residents in the area had never received systematic health screenings, leading officials to accelerate the project.
The programme is funded with B434,750 from the Phuket Provincial Electricity Development Fund and is being run by the Public Health and Environment Division of Wichit Municipality. Nirat said officials had expanded the project to cover more than 200 residents considered at risk.
The screenings include blood pressure checks, medical history reviews, stool tests for preliminary cancer screening, and mobile X-ray services to detect abnormalities in the lungs and respiratory system. Medical teams are also treating skin conditions believed to be linked to the surrounding environment.
Residents found to be at risk of serious illness will be referred into the healthcare system under their existing medical rights at no additional cost, Nirat said.
The move also follows the major landfill fire at the waste disposal centre on Apr 11, which burned for more than 34 hours before being brought under control. Officials declared the site a disaster relief zone after smoke and fumes spread across nearby communities. At least 82 households and more than 200 residents were affected by the smoke.
Nirat said data gathered through the project would also be used to improve future public health planning and environmental management around the waste disposal centre.
