[health-vn] WHO Warns of Growing Chemical Risks to Developing World

[Vern Weitzel]

http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=585&ArticleID=6169&l=en

WHO Warns of Growing Chemical Risks to Developing World

Geneva, 13 May 2009 - The World Health Organisation says the growing dangers 
posed by chemical use in developing countries are putting worsening strain on 
health professionals.

In a paper submitted to ICCM2, the second International Conference on Chemicals 
Management, the WHO says: "The health sector is faced with additional roles and 
responsibilities due to increased production and use of chemicals in developing 
countries and those in economic transition. This includes increased risk 
assessment needs... and dealing with the impact of chemical incidents on human 
health."

The paper says: "Chemical production and use is increasing worldwide. This is 
particularly true in developing countries and those with economies in transition 
where chemical production, processing and use is closely tied to economic 
development. The introduction of new chemicals into a society requires the 
health sector to expand its traditional roles and responsibilities..."

Among recent chemical incidents it lists are an outbreak of mass sodium bromide 
poisoning in Angola in March 2008, which affected 467 people. In February 2009 
18 Senegalese children died when a district in Thiaroye sur Mer, Dakar, was 
contaminated by lead from recycled batteries. The dumping of toxic waste in 
Ivory Coast in 2006 resulted in eight deaths, and about 85,000 health-related 
consultations.

The WHO paper says: "Such events are believed to represent just the tip of the 
iceberg." In December 2005 the WHO Bulletin listed what it called "acute 
chemical incidents of potential international concern" which had occurred 
between August 2002 and December 2003. There were 35 such incidents, from 26 
countries. Examples - all occurring in 2003 - included an unusual number of 
cases of unexplained spastic paralysis in a Tanzanian village; the contamination 
of water and soil with pesticides from an abandoned storage depot in Somalia; 
and a leak of natural gas and hydrogen sulphide which killed 233 people in China.

The authors of the Bulletin report say: "The lack of global data on the 
occurrence of chemical incidents of potential international concern makes 
planning for major incidents difficult."

The WHO paper submitted to this week's ICCM2 - which ends on 15 May – calls for 
greater participation by the health sector in the work of SAICM, the Strategic 
Approach to International Chemicals Management. The ICCM is SAICM's governing body.

For more information, please contact:

SAICM's media adviser, Alex Kirby:

alexkirby_uk at yahoo.co.uk

+44-7770 674017 (UK mobile)

079 615 5079 (Swiss mobile)

or

UN Spokesperson / Head of Media, Nick Nuttall

Office of the Executive Director

tel: + 254 20 7623084 (Nairobi)

fax: + 254 20 7623692 (Nairobi)

mobile: + 254 733 632755 / +41 79 596 57 37

e-mail: nick.nuttall at unep.org

Notes to Editors

See WHO's page on Environmental health in emergencies, at

http://www.who.int/environmental_health_emergencies/en/index.html

There will be two side events at ICCM2 on 13 May, between 1300 and 1500, hosted 
by the UN Environment Programme and WHO. The first is Chemical Incidents, 
Accidents and Emergencies: New Guidance and Tools from International 
Organisations. The second is Public Health and Chemical Emergencies: New Tools 
from WHO.







Further Resources

SAICM - Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management
WHO: Environmental Health in Emergencies
Scientists 'should explain how chemicals affect our lives' - Press Release