Pollution-related illnesses baffle health workers

JAKARTA (JP): The medical community's lack of knowledge about the health hazards associated with air pollution makes it difficult to promote a clean air program, an expert said yesterday.

"The doctors' knowledge about problems associated with air pollution is very low so sometimes they make the wrong diagnoses and prescribe the incorrect treatment," Umar Fahmi Achmadi, a health expert from the University of Indonesia, said yesterday.

Many doctors do not realize that several health complaints -- such as chronic coughs, dizziness, nausea and infertility -- and less obvious symptoms -- such as loss of memory and a decrease in physical resilience -- are the result of "a lifetime's exposure to air pollution, which poisons people's bodies", he said.

Umar did not name names but mentioned an ENT (ear, nose and throat) doctor in Central Jakarta who often wrongly diagnosed his patients.

Doctors should improve their knowledge on the dangers of pollution from gas emissions, Umar told participants of a seminar titled Segar Jakartaku (Clean Air for Jakarta).

Data from the city's health office reveals that there are about 5,000 doctors practicing in Jakarta.

"Their participation in the clean air program is badly needed," he said. "Doctors, for instance, should be warning people about these issues."

The Clean Air for Jakarta program started last month but was officially kicked off yesterday by State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja and Governor Sutiyoso.

Another speaker at the seminar, Rafdjon Rax, head of the city's urban and environment study, said that improving Jakarta's air quality constituted hard work.

"Jakarta should build a massive transportation network soon to help reduce air pollution and traffic in the capital," he said.

"Pollution is terrible here. Many dust-monitoring stations have pointed out that the amount of airborne dust in several areas in Jakarta has exceeded the recommended limits of air quality."

Limit

In many industrial areas, such as Pulogadung in East Jakarta, there is 93 millimicro grams of dust per cubic meter of air, which is nine times higher than the limit set by the World Health Organization, he said.

According to Umar, coughs and colds are becoming common illnesses here.

"Actually, (these illnesses) are very dangerous. They are just the beginning of air pollution's impact on us."

The government must change its health approach from life expectancy to health expectancy, he said.

"What is the use of people having a high life expectancy, such as 80 years of age, but for half of his life he has been exposed to pollution and the diseases caused by it?

"It's better to increase health expectancy, so people can live a pure, healthy life and fight pollution problems instead of just thinking about how to live longer but not care about pollution."

The Clean Air for Jakarta project was suggested by Swisscontact, a Swiss-based non-profit organization, in cooperation with its local partner PT Qipra Galang Kartika.

The program, which is to continue until December next year, includes seminars, sports activities, music and art exhibitions and is aimed at increasing awareness about the dangers of gas emission.

Visiting Swiss Vice President Flavio Cotti said in his written keynote address that the project was part of the longstanding cooperation between the two countries.

A collective effort is needed to combat air pollution and it is "the responsibility of the government to promote, to incite and sometimes to compel", he said.

"There's no doubt in my mind that such efforts can only succeed if they are based on a large public understanding and a strong political will."

In his opening speech, Governor Sutiyoso said that it was his ambition to make Jakarta green and to reduce pollution.

"I support this program 110 percent. I hope this kind of program does not just become dust in the wind but stays in the hearts of Jakartans so, together, we can create cleaner air.

"We can choose what we drink but we can't choose what we breathe."

The governor said that the municipality will encourage the use of masks by people who spend most of their day working out in the open and in areas where air pollution is the heaviest. (07/bsr)