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Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Farmers urged to wear protective gear v. pesticides (11:16 a.m.)
By Marie S. Neri
MANILA -- Wear gloves and boots when handling pesticides.
This advice was given by the Department of Health (DOH) to cut-flower farmers following reports of a significant increase in the number of poisoning cases among farm workers.
A study conducted by the University of the Philippines-National Poison Control and Information Service (UP-NPCIS) and the St. Louis University-College of Medicine (SLU-CM) showed that of 101 farmers interviewed, 34 admitted that they became sick at work during the past 12 months.
The study was conducted starting November last year and covered cut-flower workers in Sitio Satag, Barangay Bahong in La Trinidad, Benguet, where majority or 56 percent belong to the 20 to 35 age group. Of the respondents, 63 were males and 38 were females.
It was also learned that 76 percent of those who admitted to have become sick said the frequency of their illness was "too numerous to count".
Among the common illnesses that cut-flower farmers experienced were eye itchiness, blurring of vision, dizziness, eye pain, skin itchiness, eye redness or tearing, headache and weakness.
The study further revealed that majority of the complainants did not seek medical treatment since the symptoms were immediately resolved within a short period of time.
But the report said there is a need to look into the length of the exposure of the farmers to the chemicals since it may have acute or chronic effects. (Sunnex Luzon) |
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