B. Goidhoo Council, on Tuesday, revealed they have commenced collecting some data sought by the Health Ministry on how pesticides are used in the island’s farms as part of a research into increased cancer cases on the island.
Speaking with Sun on Tuesday, Goidhoo Council President Mohamed Sinaan said Health Ministry officials have yet to visit the island for their research on increased cancer cases on the island.
“They [Health Ministry officials] have yet to arrive. However, they have requested some data. We are collecting this information,” he said.
Shahula Waheed, a resident of Goidhoo shared a post on social media, citing she has written two separate letters to Health Minister Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim and Agriculture Minister Dr. Mariyam Mariya, requesting to resolve the two concerning issues on the island.
The letters underscored an increase in non-communicable diseases in Goidhoo, an island with a population of just some 500 people, especially cancer. In this regard, it was detailed that nine cancer cases were recorded on the island during the past five years, of which three people succumbed to the disease.
The letter also emphasized the prevalence of smoking and areca nut consumption is high in Goidhoo compared to the island’s population size.
The second issue highlighted in the letter is the fact that 95 percent of the island’s farmlands have been left in the care of migrant workers by their owners. It was alleged in the letter that fruit and vegetable produce from majority of these farmlands contains dangerous levels of pesticides for human health and is tainted with other types of chemicals.
The letter noted that pesticides are not being used safely. It also stated that agricultural products that can be consumed raw, such as leaves, chili, and cucumber, are being harvested and sold by migrant workers without observing the recommended waiting period after pesticide application.
Notably, the Agriculture Ministry has previously announced that it is conducting a special farm auditing program called the Maldives Food Agriculture Practice (MGAP) Certification to ensure high-quality produce.
Cancer has become increasingly common in the Maldives. Lifestyle factors play a major role in its development, and there is also a possibility of hereditary influence. World Health Organization (WHO), based on Maldivian statistics in 2020, estimates cancer will account for 17 percent of deaths in the Maldives