Ukraine's Thyroid Cancer Rate Rises

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@earthlink.net>]

More data for our resident Radsafe epidemiologists:

Monday October 19 1:52 PM EDT 

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) _ The number of cases of thyroid cancer 
among Ukrainian children is increasing following the 1986
Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the country's health minister said 
Monday.

About 1,030 children now suffer from thyroid cancer in Ukraine, 
said the minister Andriy Serdiuk. Not too long ago, the figure
was only 800 or 900, he said, without giving an exact time frame.

``The appearance of this disease was caused by the 
consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power 
plant,'' Serdiuk said.  

The 1986 explosion and fire at Chernobyl was the world's worst 
nuclear accident. It sent a cloud of radiation over parts of the
former Soviet Union and Europe, causing serious health problems 
in Ukraine and neighboring Belarus.

Serdiuk spoke after discussing Chernobyl-related health issues 
with the visiting U.N. humanitarian aid coordinator, Sergio
Vieira de Mello.

He said the U.N. official's visit might help the country better battle 
the consequences of the disaster.

Ukraine is to receive $2.5 million under a program sponsored by 
the United Nations and U.S. cancer institutions to provide
health care for the people who cleaned up after the explosion and 
their children. 


------------------
Sandy Perle
Technical Director
ICN Dosimetry Division
ICN Plaza
3300 Hyland Avenue
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Office: (800) 548-5100 x2306 
Fax:    (714) 668-3149
  
sandyfl@earthlink.net
sperle@icnpharm.com

ICN Dosimetry Website:
http://www.dosimetry.com

Personal Website:
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1205

"The object of opening the mind, as of opening 
the mouth, is to close it again on something solid"
              - G. K. Chesterton -

The opinions expressed are solely, absolutely, positively, definitely those of the author, and NOT my employer
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