The Jabodetabek pollution endangers Child Health

Jacob Gebhart - Research Agency for Health Research and Development (Balitbangkes) of the Ministry of Health found that the levels of pollution in Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi (Jabodetabek) is increasingly dangerous. A study of 200 children aged 7 to 13 years also showed, most children have been exposed to harmful pollutants.

It was delivered by the Head of Public Health Intervention Technology, Anwar Musadad in a seminar titled 'We Protect Baby from the Dangers of Environmental Pollution' at the Ministry of Health today.

"If it is detected biomarkers in the air, the child's hair, it is a sign that the symptoms are not so obvious. But it has become a time bomb because it continues to accumulate," says Anwar, Monday (24/8).

Anwar said the results of the study showed that the pollution levels are already at the stage of worrying. If you continue to accumulate, these pollutants can harm the health of children.

Symptoms will arise, namely the emergence of respiratory diseases and neurological disorders. Growth and development of the child was, he added, will be interrupted, including the child's intelligence.

"Can to neurological disorders such as tremors or memory, sometimes be easy to forget. Interfere with development and normal growth is also making it less than others," he said.

To reduce the impact of exposure to these pollutants, Anwar said parents should be vigilant if it is to take the child out of the house. Prevention efforts should also be initiated from inside the house. One of them, by minimizing the use of chemicals in the home.

"For example, storing pesticides. Do not be reached, touched the child. If it can be home free of chemicals. If you can not, minimize its use, the dose is not too big," he said.

"If you use the stove to cook, too, noticed the smoke, do not ngerokok in the house. Minimize take the child to use the motor as well as be exposed to pollution," said Anwar again.

Pollutants to be a problem in the study produced by the fumes, factories, waste battery recycling, and the content in agricultural fertilizers.