Pollution-related illnesses baffle health workers

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)