Research on Prevention of Pesticide Poisoning in Asia : A Review / 日本農村医学会雑誌

ABSTRACT

In japan, pesticides have been used increasingly after World War II and pesticide poisoning has been a major issue of rural medicine. In other Asian countries, pesticide poisoning also seems to be a great concern of rural medicine and occupational and environmental medicine as well. We reviewed the results of research on the prevention of pesticide poisoning in Asia with the reports of international organizations and articles which appeared in medical journals.The WHO Glabal Information Network on Chemicals worked out an international protocol to collect and analyze the cases of pesticide poisoning, and is carrying out hospital-based surveys in east and south Asia from 1998. These data were discussed in comparison with the results of our hospital-based survey of pesticide poisoning in 1998-2000.Also, FAO has been exploring the concept of “community integrated pest management (CIPM)” from 1999, in Asian countries. In a project related to this, farmers were asked to report their pesticide use and symptoms, and researchers analyzed the data and gave advice to the farmers, and these practices produced so fruitful findings that the farmers have come to refrain from using hazardous pesticides of their own accord. These research projects are expected to complementarily contribute to the prevention of pesticide poisoning. We resumed the hospital-based survey of pesticide poisoning in 1996, and have collected and analyzed several hundreds cases. In order to reduce pesticide poisoning in Japan and other Asian countries, we are interested in rendering cooperation in those projects.