Medics in Panama see side effects of pesticide use

  • Published
  • By Capt. Ben Sakrisson
  • Air University Public Affairs
SANTA MARIA, Panama (AFPN) --  Air Force medics treated approximately 3,100 patients suffering from the effects of pesticide during a medical readiness training exercise July 14 through 18 in Panama.

Panamanian and U.S. Air Force doctors worked together to give free medical care to patients in remote locations during the MEDRETE. 

"I am amazed at the prevalence of depression and the lack of medication for the treatment of it," said Capt. Bryan Farford, a family physician from the 81st Medical Operations Squadron at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss. "I also saw many more cases of uncontrolled diabetes, genetic disorders and complaints of allergies here than at Cabuya."

The town of Santa Maria is surrounded by rice fields, which until eight years ago were sprayed with pesticides from airplanes. In recent years, the Panamanian government has gone to extensive lengths to consider environmental issues and now a large area near the town has been designated a nature reserve for migratory birds.

Officials from Panama's ministry of health said the area around the nature reserve is now carefully controlled, even with regard to the number of cattle allowed to graze in the area, in order not to upset the environmental balance. As a further measure, pesticides are not allowed nearby in order to keep the groundwater uncontaminated.

Though pesticides are no longer sprayed from the air, spraying from the ground by farmers continues, which has led to a high incidence of pulmonary disease, said a Panamanian doctor.

As a lingering effect of past pesticide use, teachers said many children here have learning disabilities and the doctors have seen much higher rates of glaucoma, cataracts and neurological disorders than at the previous MEDRETE site of Cabuya, which is only 30 minutes from Santa Maria.

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