This vid is for 2014 situation.
Rain has brought light relief to the people of Palembang in Sumatra but the impact on the health of the most vulnerable - the children and aged - from the cloud of haze which has affected the province will be felt for years to come.
There are many mitigating factors for this disaster. One chief reason is the unforeseen effects of the weather phnenomenon called El Nino. The Indonesian government's failure to communicate effectively at a time like this the harmful effects of "slash and burn" practice, the traditional means of clearing land, is also largely to blame.
In recent weeks, the hospital has been busy treating respiratory complaints. The most heart-wrenching scenes in the ward were old and young alike struggling to breathe after exposure to the noxious fumes.
The tiny particles which some of this smoke contain can get stuck in the lungs and are coated in cancer-causing chemicals. Wood smoke is thought to be more cancer-causing than passive smoke from cigarettes.
Doctors have likened the situation to smoking 80 cigarettes a day, babies across the region have in effect been chain-smoking since the haze began to envelope vast pieces of land.
SHOWS:
8-9/10. PALEMBANG, INDONESIA
pan Musi river, Palembang from Ampera bridge;
river traffic; shoreline boats;
grounds Palembang General Hospital;
mother and child looking at x-ray;
pan across ward with people with respiratory problems;
man suffering from respiratory problems;
old woman with drip;
doctor and interns checking patient suffering from headaches;
doctor ticking off patient for not wearing masks;
patient's face;
doctor examining lung x-ray;
doctor sot in Bahasa "The long term effects of breathing smoke could be lung cancer."
sick boy and mother in ward;
sick boy having breathing difficulties;
close up air filter;
very old man having difficulty breathing;
another old man;
sot patient in Bahasa "I'm afraid now, I'm afraid to go outside because the haze is so bad."
girls with masks in schoolyard;
JAKARTA. RECENT
Emmy Hafild sot "more disturbing is the long term effect on children under five years old - because these are sulphur and carbon dioxide which can affect their brain development so its very difficult."
PALEMBANG. 9-10/10.
pan children exercising in schoolyard;
girl exercising;
burnt ground and fire/smoke;
farmers next to fire;
palm trees burning.
3.46
