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| Sunday, 23 November 2003 |
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Polluted air in Colombo a major health hazard by Shanika Sriyananda Colombo's polluted air is a major health hazard to school children, traffic policemen, commuters and underprivileged families, a recent research has revealed. Covering a two-year period, the research, the first such analysis of people's perspectives and social dimension of air pollution, had found slum dwellers to be at risk due to their poor living conditions. " Most of the slum dwellings are located in highly congested areas near main roads and their small dwellings, which lack adequate space, are open to pollution 24-hours a day", said Anouk Illangakoon, Environmental Scientist of the Public Interest Law Foundation (PLIF), which conducted the research. He said that the main aim of the research was to assess the impact on health of the Colombo residents. The research, the outcome of which is scheduled to be submitted to the relevant ministries, is based on a questionnaire given to over 500 people from different occupations and social classes in eight locations within the Colombo city. Traffic policemen, pavement hawkers, trishaw drivers, workers in non-air conditioned shops near main roads, bus drivers and conductors are also vulnerable to air pollution, according to the study. The research also revealed that poor people who live and work in congested streets in Colombo city are forced to breath bad air daily, especially school children near main roads and others who travel in non-air conditioned school service vans are also exposed to air pollution due to long term exposure at peak traffic times. Majority of them suffer from high levels of coughs, colds and eye irritation. Ilangakoon said that people who walk, travel in open trishaws or use public transport were subject to high incidence of coughs and colds while 100 per cent of regular trishaw travellers, 71 per cent of those who walk, 68 per cent of bus commuters, 67 per cent of those who travel in private vans and 63 per cent of train commuters suffer from eye irritation.She said that people who spent three to eight hours or more on the road had higher incidence of common respiratory symptoms. " Those who spent less than 3-hours were less prone to respiratory illnesses while those who spent more than 8-hours were constantly ill with common respiratory problems."A majority of people in Colombo are aware that Colombo's air is polluted and are of the view that it has been badly polluted during the past five years. Over 80 per cent of them said that air pollution in the city is caused mainly by vehicular emission", Illangakoon added. According to the research, 29 per cent of Colombo city dwellers had suggested cleaning up garbage dumps and drains in the city would solve the problem. Nearly 16 per cent of people had said that growing more trees in the city would reduce the pollution rate, while 9 to 7 per cent of them had said that public awareness and strict law enforcement respectively would solve the problem. The PLIF research had revealed that wealthy residents, including those who live in Colombo 7 and Wellawatta areas were less affected by air pollution and rarely suffered from common respiratory illnesses. " People whose monthly income is more than Rs. 10,000 and those who used their own vehicles were not much vulnerable to air pollution whereas whose monthly earnings are below Rs. 5,000 and used public transport are at a greater risk", Illangakoon pointed out. HIV in Sri Lanka : Over 82% 15-45 age group Sri Lankan youths are more vulnerable to sexual transmitted diseases (STDs) including the deadly HIV/AIDS due to detachment of parental bonds, changing society and cultural patterns, warned STD experts, last week. Over 82 per cent of the total suspected HIV cases are in the age group of 15 to 45-years. Experts attribute this trend to loss of parental care at home and greater sexual freedom than earlier. " A majority of young victims who come to our clinics admit to being sexually active due to loneliness and some have been subjected to sexual harassment", said Dr. Shantha Hettiarachchi of the STD Control Program of the Ministry of Health. " Today's parents do not have time to spend with their children and to listen to their problems due to busy schedules", said Dr. Hettiarachchi at a media seminar organised by the Health Education Bureau. He stressed the need to have adult support to solve youth problems and a better understanding and relationship with them to control the spread of STDs. According to Dr. Hettiarachchi, lack of necessary knowledge on STDs, wrong influence from the media, sexual relationship with or without consent among peer groups, experimentation with drugs and alcohol, poverty and easy accessibility to sexual exposure are the main reason why young people get infected with STDs. " Young drug addicts who inject drugs, those who are in the sex trade, children and youth on the street are at high risk of getting HIV/AIDS", he said. He also said that though the HIV/AIDS rate was slightly increasing, it was now becoming a serious health problem among the youth. " It is an urgent need to have well organised programs to rehabilitate sexually abused victims", he added. Over 113 Sri Lankans have died due to Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and the number of HIV positive cases estimated to be over 7500. During the past years 12 HIV positive children, who got the virus from their mothers, reported to the STD program. Over 300,000 HIV tests have been carried upto 2003 and 507 cases, including 204 females have been identified as AIDS positives. - S.S. |
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