|
Almost three years since a tsunami ravaged six coastal provinces in the South, villagers at Ban Nam Khem are still plagued by illnesses they say are connected to the killer waves. Many villagers became concerned following the deaths of six tsunami survivors within a year of the tragedy.
Another 80 survivors have suffered poor health, respiratory diseases and sudden weight loss, Maitree Jongkraichak, member of Ban Nam Khem tambon organisation, said.
Ban Nam Khem _ a fishing hamlet by abandoned tin mines _ was one of the hardest hit areas in the Dec 2004 tsunami. More than 900 villagers died and many of those who survived swallowed huge amounts of seawater or had their wounds exposed to the water which, according to doctors, was highly-polluted with refuse, sand and mud.
Survivors with access to medical care had mud and sand drained from their lungs. Many had to have their wounds reopened in order for clogged sand to be removed.
But Mr Maitree said many villagers did not receive appropriate medical treatment as they were not aware of the long-term effects of their injuries.
''This problem is almost forgotten. What we need is doctors to verify health conditions here,'' he said.
Lamyong Muangmint, 42, said villagers who did not receive treatment to drain mud and sand from their body now lived in fear.
''Some villagers have lost a huge amount of weight or died from infectious wounds,'' she said.
Many doctors, however, have dismissed the villagers' fears.
''It is true there are chronic infections in the first few months but all injured survivors were cured,'' said Dr Wiwat Sritamanote, deputy head of Phuket Provincial Health Office.
He said a recent report in a Thai-language newspaper about chronic infections among tsunami survivors was unsubstantiated. The report claimed many people were still suffering from chronic tsunami-related infections.
The Thai Health Promotion Foundation has launched a project to monitor the long-term health effects of the tsunami. The issue will be discussed in a meeting in Bangkok on Dec 21.
''Chronic infections may be an unfounded fear. It seems most villagers are healed. But we will have to study the cases,'' said Dr Bunchar Pongpanich, an adviser on the project.
| 
