A study on Endosulfan:Study conducted by Calicut medical college

Kozhikode Medical College conducted study on endosulfan in Kasargod as per the decision of Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR). Detailed study of the situation revealed the disastrous after effects created by the endosulfan to the natives of Kasargod. The study was conducted under the direction of Dr C. Prabha Kumari, head of the Community medicine (under the resposibility of Community Medicine department of the Kozhikode Medical College.). Report summarizes that endosulfan had caused serious health hazards to the people in the affected areas. Study was done concentrating on the harmful health outcomes of the people of kasargod collecting their blood samples.Study confirmed the high rate of various abnormalities among the populations of the affected areas. Data collected from eleven grama panchayats (more than 10,000 blood samples) were detected with the high contents of endosulfan and its by products (alfa
endosulfan,alpha-beta Endosulfan, endosulfan sulphate etc.) in it. One should not forget that this study was conducted a decade after the State-owned Plantation Corporation of Kerala stopped spraying the pesticide in its estates of the district. This shows the persistent nature of the endosulfan poison.

Reproductive health problems that prominent among the people were

*Infertility
*Precocious puberty
*Abortion
*Intra-uterine death
*Still birth
*Child death

Prominent diseases among the youth were

*High rate of heart diseases
*Hernia
*Genito urinary causes
*Organ anomalies
*Seizure problems( this was prominent among school students when their weight and height was surveyed. )
*Skin problems
*Above mentioned reproductive disorders
*Asthma
*Hormonal abnormalities

Glimpse of hope: the study brought out a positive result regarding the endosulfan concerns of kerala. These are the facts that shows that disesse occurrence have reduced in lower extent. Study showed that birth defects and problems like abortions have come down during the past ten years.( due to the restriction of endosulfan spraying in cashew plantations of kasargod).

Brutal truth :The study by the Kozhikode Medical College has reconfirmed that various abnormalities and diseases were higher among the people in the Endosulfan-sprayed areas of Kasargod district than among the normal population. Almost none of them was free from Endosulfan in their blood!