Cuba trains health inspectors to control noise pollution

CIENFUEGOS, Cuba, Sep 22 (acn) More than 80 health inspectors from Cienfuegos province are being trained by these days in the Provincial Center of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Microbiology (CPHEM by its Spanish acronym) to get the tools and knowledge on how to deal with noise pollution.

Alicia Gómez Villarejo, head of the CPHEM audit department, said the idea of this preparation comes from the work in conjunction of this center in partnership with the Provincial Delegation of CITMA, the Revolutionary National Police and the Cienfuegos branch of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.
Each of them will assume specific roles in the group and those in charge of health will have the responsibility to meet all legal and state complaints and will follow up, if necessary, studies and oriented measures, she said.
Noise is not a cumulative factor, but has a negative impact on health, and may not only affect the ear, but also the cardiovascular system, can trigger high blood pressure, irritability in the central nervous system and even insomnia, Tamara Montenegro Calderón, CEPHEM specialist in Hygiene y Epidemiology told ACN.
According to health authorities, daily exposure, without the use of hearing protection, to a noise source generating between 80 and 90 decibels, for example a street with heavy traffic, can cause mild hearing loss.
In previous years, the CPHEM has received dissatisfactions of neighbors from Cienfuegos about some recreational institutions such as the Tropisur Cabaret and Julio Antonio Mella Cultural Center, where studies were conducted.
One of the measures implemented in these environments was the construction of sound barriers, in order to minimize the acoustic damage to the community.