google7fe7e6420122196f.html Preventive Medicine: Mesothelioma in Indonesia

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Mesothelioma in Indonesia

Mesothelioma is one form of lung malignant cancer related with exposure of asbestos. Mesothelium become the place of this malignant cell. The commonest site is pleura, but there are some incidence that mesothelioma occurs in peritoneum, and pericardium. The victims of this disease are mostly workers with exposure of asbestos particles. The family, can be the victim of this disease too. There are reports about the risk of the family member to develop this disease by washing the clothes of the ‘asbestos or fiber’ worker, or by inhaling some dust brought by the worker in their home. There isn’t any association of the disease with smoking. But in some textbook, it’s told that for worker or person who can’t stop their smoking habit, it’s better not to apply or get close with ‘asbestos or fiber’ related work. It may because smoker’s lung which get asbestos exposure has worse prognosis than nonsmoker lung.

The incidence of mesothelioma in Indonesia hasn’t been known for sure. But in some community in Indonesia, this mesothelioma issue has become great discussion. The latest news about this issue came from NAD (Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam). It’s told in several Indonesian newspaper that in December 2008, People in NAD burned some houses provided by Yayasan Bakrie Grup through Badan Rehabilitasi dan Rekonstruksi (BRR) for Deah Raya citizen,  and there’re some Indonesian NGO  reported this case to International Human Right Organization.

The mesothelioma or asbestosis issue become more than health issue for people in the world. It become more political, economic, and law issue. Many organization, worker party, lawyers fight against the asbestos manufacturers. The liability resulting from the sheer number of lawsuits and people affected has reached billions of dollars. The amounts and method of allocating compensation have been the source of many court cases. But until today the US Congress has failed to enact significant asbestos reforms.

In Indonesia, many people don’t know about this disease. We still use asbestos materials to build houses. Even in some hospitals. Many doctors diagnose ‘malignant lung cancer’ but only few that diagnose the possible cause of the cancer.  And in this country, autopsy is not a common thing to state the diagnosis or someone’s causes of death. So the number of the mesothelioma victims in Indonesia, is still not well known.

2 comments :

  1. Anonymous said...

    duh, basa inggris semua....

  2. Unknown said...

    Hello....My father just passed away April2008....from this cancer.
    Fortunately for him he lived until he was 83. The cancer was seeded when he was 18 years of age. There is really no way to tell how long he suffered before we first noticed he was ill which was a year before he died. Once it became impossible for him to hide this...it was a matter of 1 year before the cancer took his life. This cancer is very unpredictable and has no mercy. The Asbestos compensation board has been absolutely caring and generous to my mother who is still very healthy and alive. It is no way a replacement for my father...but it does help my mother to not worry about finances at her age.
    Thank you for posting this information...it is out there and this cancer is killing many people.

    DorothyL