Air pollution causes health problems

Air pollution causes health problems

JAKARTA (JP): Air pollution brings acute and chronic illness to people, an expert at the University of Indonesia warned.

Prof. Umar Fahmi Achmadi told a seminar on Healthy Cities for the People's Prosperity on Wednesday that people, who inhale polluted air constantly for a long time usually suffer from difficult to diagnose diseases, Antara reported yesterday.

"Air pollution beyond the tolerable limits may disturb people's physiological functions and increase morbidity," the professor said, citing as an example a couple found dead last year in a parked car with the air conditioner on and the windows closed. The air conditioner discharged carbon monoxide, which the couple inhaled for a prolonged period of time.

In the long run, air pollution brings about respiratory system diseases, he added.

According to the latest studies made by city's environment office, the content of sulfur dioxide in the city's air still falls within the tolerable range, Antara news agency reported.

The studies revealed, however, that nitrogen oxide content in the air in Tebet Barat (South Jakarta), Gambir and Senayan (Central Jakarta) exceeded tolerable limits at 7.9 percent, 3.3 percent and 4.2percent respectively.

The air in Duri Kosambi (West Jakarta), Tebet Barat (South Jakarta), Pinang Ranti and Penggilingan (East Jakarta), Rawa Terate, Cilincing and Ancol (North Jakarta) and Gambir, Kramat Pela and Senayan (Central Jakarta) contains too much dust, Fahmi said.

The one-day seminar, organized by the Committee of the 48th World Health Day commemoration, involved 200 participants from private organizations and from the Ministry of Health and the city administration.

The Director General for Eradication of Contagious Diseases, Hadi M. Abednego, opened the seminar. (sur)