Over 600 people in Moldovan capital went to doctors after suffering allergies from ragweed in August

Chisinau, 2 Sep. /MOLDPRES/- In August over 600 people went to the primary medical institutions in the capital after suffering from ragweed allergies. The head of the General Directorate of Medical and Social Assistance of the Capital City Hall, Boris Gîlca, made the statement today at a joint press conference with the head of the Municipal Enterprise Association of Green Space Management, Victoria Covali.

According to Gîlca, the number of people suffering from allergic reactions would be 10 times higher - about 6000, and at the national level it would significantly exceed the figure. "After going to the doctor, the patient will undergo an allergen test, which is carried out in private laboratories and is very expensive. There are people who go to the pharmacy to be recommended an anti-allergic preparation, in such cases the medicine may be ineffective. The preparations are quite expensive and need to be purchased annually, during the growth and flowering period of the plant, that's why we propose including them in the list of compensated medicines", said Boris Gîlca.

Local authorities noted that they would not have the necessary leverage to impose sanctions on public or private agencies that do not comply with ragweed control measures. "We are not empowered with control and fine responsibilities. Ragweed eradication is the responsibility of local authorities only if it is impossible to identify the land owners. In June - September, workers used technical and chemical methods to liquidate the plant. This has the highest level of spread in the Buiucani sector of the capital. It can be seen that the plant has already developed a resistance to chemical preparations, therefore tests will be carried out to identify other types of herbicides", said Victoria Covali.

The Ministry of Health has previously said that the main measure to prevent allergy is to avoid exposure to ragweed. "To be able to reduce the contact with it, the plant must be destroyed. Drug treatments are only meant to reduce the amplitude of symptoms. Providing free access to anti-allergic drugs to people, most of them healthy, with ragweed allergy will in no way solve the incidence of these conditions, the solution being the eradication of the weed", a press release of the institution reads.

According to the municipal authorities, last year, 41 hectares of ambrosia were liquidated in the capital, and about 1 million lei (about 50 thousand euros) were spent in this regard. In addition to chemical processing, the plant is plucked or cut 3-4 times per season. If the year is a rainy one, then additional interventions are required.

According to the legislation, the owners or administrators of land and the local public authorities who manage the spaces near public roads, railways, parks, lakes, recreational areas, etc., are responsible for the destruction of ragweed. At the same time, the territorial subdivisions of the Environmental Protection Inspectorate, the National Food Safety Agency and the National Public Health Agency are responsible for the verification and monitoring of ragweed lands.