Chemical accidents rife in Indonesia<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Chemical related accidents are becoming more
\ncommonplace in Indonesia, from the consumer level up to the
\nindustrial sector, a health official said at a seminar yesterday.<\/p>\n
Fawrita Cadick, director of narcotics and hazardous substances
\ncontrol at the Directorate General of Food and Drug Control,
\nbased her statement on 1993 data obtained from hospitals in East
\nJava, Jakarta, North Sumatra, South Sulawesi and West Java.<\/p>\n
\"Most poisoning cases are caused by pesticides, insecticides,
\ncontaminated foods, pharmaceuticals, household products,
\nindustrial chemicals, natural poison and alcohol,\" said Fawrita,
\nwho is also director of the national poison information center in
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Eating fried foods wrapped in unclean packagings or rice
\ncontaminated with pesticides left over from storage and shipping
\ncan lead to poisoning, she said, citing two common cases.<\/p>\n
The international seminar and workshop, The Poison Center as a
\nKey Element of National Chemical Safety Programmes, was opened
\nyesterday at Hotel Indonesia and will end on Thursday. It was
\norganized by the Ministry of Health, the International Program on
\nChemical Safety and the United Nations Development Program.<\/p>\n
Of the 221 telephone inquiries received by the poison center
\nbetween Nov. 27, 1995, and Aug. 31 this year, 172 were reporting
\ncases of poisoning and chemical accidents. The other 49 callers,
\nshe said, wanted information about poison and chemical
\nsubstances.<\/p>\n
Of the 172 poisoning and chemical accidents cases, 65 were
\nrelated to food, 54 to pharmaceuticals, 29 to household or
\nindustrial agents, 10 to pesticides, nine to natural toxins and
\nfive to cosmetics, she said.<\/p>\n
Among the speakers at the seminar, which was opened by
\nMinister of Health Sujudi, were Julian White from Australia, M.
\nBalali Mood from Iran, Albert J. Nantel from Canada, Wayne A.
\nTemple from New Zealand and MF Wilks from the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n
Sujudi pointed out that chemicals -- including pesticides,
\nindustrial chemicals and consumers chemicals -- have become
\nindispensable in the industrial, agricultural and consumer
\nsectors.<\/p>\n
\"However, increasing evidence suggests that chemicals can
\ncontribute to health and environmental problems at various stages
\nduring their life cycle, from the production of a chemical until
\nit is imported and disposed of,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Thomphson D.P. Sianipar, one of the center's executives,
\nexplained that in a minor poisoning or chemical case, the center
\ncan provide helpful advice.<\/p>\n
However, in major poisoning cases people are advised to visit
\na doctor or hospital, he said.<\/p>\n
He predicted that the number of poisoning cases and chemical
\naccidents here will increase in the future. \"Now, there are still
\nmany unreported cases and accidents,\" Thomphson said.<\/p>\n
Apart from Jakarta, there are four other poison centers in the
\ncountry. Those in Bandung, Medan, Surabaya and Ujungpandang are
\nthe ministry's pilot projects. (ste)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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