Doctor to assist NMI in detecting PCB-related diseases

A medical specialist will arrive on Saipan next month to train local doctors on ways to detect symptoms and illnesses related to contamination from the cancer-causing polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) among island residents.

Juan N. Babauta, CNMI resident representative to Washington, disclosed the U.S. Department of Interior has agreed to shoulder travel expenses of the doctor from the mainland who has specialized knowledge on the harmful effects of the highly-toxic chemical on humans.

Dr. Gershon Bergeisen is scheduled to fly to Saipan in January 2000 to provide training to physicians of the Commonwealth Health Center in recognizing symptoms and illnesses associated with exposure to PCBs and other environmental toxins, according to a statement released by Mr. Babauta’s office.

The Office of Insular Affairs will grant $7,000 from its technical assistance funds to pay for the doctor’s trip through the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).

This is part of the efforts to contain the worsening PCB contamination in Tanapag, where residents have complained of various illnesses they suspect are brought about by the presence of the dangerous chemicals left by the U.S. military decades ago.

“This is the beginning of what I hope will be a sustained effort to help people in Tanapag understand to what extent they have been exposed to toxic chemicals, what the health risks are, and what they can do to stay healthy,” said Mr. Babauta in the statement.

ATSDR Regional Representative Gwendolyn Eng referred Dr. Bergeisen to CNMI authorities, who could best help the island government deal with health concerns. The project is being coordinated with the Department of Public Health and the Division of Environmental Quality, according to the statement.

Public Health Sec. Joseph Kevin Villagomez earlier had pledged to provide the needed medical assistance to the village amid mounting concerns on the effect of PCBs on the people’s health.

He said three CHC physicians would undergo training on the matter before sending them to Tanapag to check on residents. The decision came following a public hearing last October in which the people expressed fears on possible health effects of the contamination with they observed as increasing deaths related to cancer.

PCB and dioxin contamination in the village was discovered when DEQ had the contents of one of the capacitors found in the village in 1988 was tested by the Guam Environmental Protection Agency.

With the assistance of the U.S. EPA and several contractors, DEQ collected the 53 PCB capacitors and, for lack of hazardous waste storage facility, kept them temporarily at the Department of Public Works’ Lower Base yard. The excavated capacitors were later on removed from Tanapag and shipped to the U.S. mainland for disposal.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers claimed PCB contamination in the village has been removed since 1997. However, it has yet to clean up the contaminated area in the Lower Base Cemetery which was declared by the governor off-limits last month to protect residents.

Experiments conducted in animals show that PCBs have caused cancer as well as affected the immune, reproductive, nervous and endocrine systems. Studies in humans raise further concerns regarding the cancer causing potential of PCBs.