and Integrated Pest Management - part - usaid

304 PESTlCDE MANAGM4ENT AND IPM INSOUTIIEAST ASIA
A second major cause of acute pesticide
poisoning,
poisoning
which
was
particularly
occupational
occurrcd among pesticide
1979-1980,
applicators.
in a
During
sawmill in Central Kalimantan, 63 cases of PCP poisoning
with eight deaths were reported.
Pesticide poisoning cases among sprayer groups of
increase
farmers were
during
reported
the periods
to
when the density of
However,
rice pests
due
was
to
also
the
increasing.
lack of proper epidemiological investigation in
concerned,
the areas
no quantitative data is available.
Acute poisoning accidents due to ignorance are still
example
prevalent.
is
A
'Klerat'
very clear
poisoning that occurs in
'Klerat'
transmigrant
RNI rodenticide
groups of
is
farmers.
brodifacoum with
grain.
rice bait
Because
in the
of
form
a shortage
of released
of food, the transmigrants
source.
use
Consequently,
this as their food
Klerat poisoning resulted, as
with
follows:
6 deaths;
in 1980,
1983, 36
20
cases
cases
with 17 deaths; 1985, 26 cases with 3 deaths;
in 1986,
and
9 cases with 3 deaths.
The pesticide poisoning data collected in the program were
I.
used
Evaluation
for:
of the pesticide safety program,
2. Annual planning of the pesticide safety program,
3. Consi&dring inputs in decision making related
4.
to
Interdepartmental
program development,
consideration
and
of inputs in regulating pesticide
management.
Up to 1980 PCP was frequently used in
Indonesia.
sawmills in
Because
seven provinces
of the serious
in
PCP poisoning
usage
accident,
of PCP
distribution
are not presently
and
allowed by the Ministry of Agriculture.
RM distribution Klerat
was also revoked and Klerat RM-B replaced.
PESTICIDE APPLICATORS AND TIlE POTENTIALLY
HAZARDOUS SITUATION IN RURAL AREAS
Pesticide ap~plicators are chronically exposed
considered
to pesticides,
a "high
and
risk"
thus
group
are
(West 1969). Because of
on
a lack
the toxicity
of understanding
and hazards of pesticides, the applicators
situations
often
for
create
themselves
hazardous
and their families,
environment.
for the public
The Pestir
and
'e
their
Safety Program in Indonesia
pesticide
therefore
exposure
has to
amoig
control
the applicator groups,
rural
particularly
areas. This
those
controlling
who live in
activity is performed
health
by a
officers,
team of two
two analysts
public
and one doctor. During the control activity,
objectives
two
are also fulfilled, namely,
1. The level of organophosphorus pesticide exposure
determining
is measured
the
by
cholinesterase activity in the blood of
using
pesticide
the Watson
applicators
& Edson method with a portable Tintometric field
(Widodo
kit
et al. 1978);
2. The Knowledge Attitude and Practice (KAP) of
groups
the pesticide
is studied
applicator
through field observations and interviews
questionnaire.
using a prepared
The observations particularly aim at collecting data about
applicator practices in handling pesticides.