The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) will renovate the equipment and infrastructures in the toilets of maritime stations 2 and 5 at the port of Palma. In addition, in order to improve accessibility and quality of life for ostomates, it intends to adapt two toilets for them in the port facilities.

The APB has proposed that all port facilities should gradually have adapted toilets. Although there is no specific regulation on the adaptation or necessary requirements of these facilities, the APB is relying on the recommendations of the Balearic Association of Crohn’s, Ulcerative Colitis and Ostomy Patients (ABACCO). This is a group of around 4,000 people in the Balearic Islands, out of the 140,000 there are throughout Spain, which increase by around 13,000 every year.

Yolanda Fernández, president of ABACCO, values the initiative very positively, since having an adapted toilet “means peace of mind and alleviates the anguish of ostomates, who will be able to empty their pouches without the risk of leaks or accidents”. In many cases, the lack of such infrastructure “prevents patients from even leaving the house”. These needs become even more vital in a transport environment like a port, where people have to stay for some time before or after a long journey.

For years, the association has been working closely with the public administration, proposing NLP, giving visibility to the pathologies that lead to ostomies and signing agreements with local councils and other administrations.

As for the toilets, the association proposes to locate them in accessible places, that privacy is guaranteed and that they should have washbasins so that the device can be replaced hygienically, as well as a table or support area for the ostomates to prepare the material they need. In addition, a toilet at the level of the abdomen, a water point with a hygienic shower for washing the pouch and a mirror at a suitable height and size for changing it are required.

Complete refurbishment

The toilets to be refurbished present different problems due to deterioration from use and the absence of essential accessories, such as baby changing tables and other items.

The tender budget amounts to 498,070 euros. The work will take 3 months to complete. The deadline for receiving bids is 1 April 2022. Interested parties may submit their applications through the APB e-Tendering Portal.