Jakartans prone to lead poisoning

Jakartans prone to lead poisoning

JAKARTA (JP): The incidence of lead poisoning is four times higher among Jakartans than among residents of Indonesia's other large cities.

A Ministry of Health official, Soedijono Setyonegoro, said over the weekend that the level of air pollution in big cities is high and that Jakarta has the highest.

Soedijono said research conducted by the ministry shows that children in big cities tend to suffer from lead poisoning.

"Due to the high level of air pollution, children in big cities such as Jakarta, suffer from anemia which is caused by lead poisoning," he said on Friday.

The ministry plans to place a number of Hematofluorometer machines donated by the New York City Health Department in the capital to monitor cases of anemia.

Soedijono was participating in a discussion to expose the danger of lead poisoning in children to the public. Stephen L. Null, director of the U.S. based non-profit organization, Friend's of Lead-Free Children, also participated.

Soedijono said that similar research found that 100 percent of the people working at radiator workshops are poisoned by lead.

"The ministry realizes the danger of non-biological diseases, but Indonesia is still concentrating its fight on communal diseases," he said.

He was commenting on the fact the government has done little towards handling non-biological diseases properly, although the damage done is worse than that caused by other diseases. (yns)