According to articles in several newspapers, such as El Norte, on September 25th, Skin Cancer has increased more than 65 per cent among men and 41 per cent among women since the late 1980s according to Patricia Cueva, Director of the national registry of tumors of Ecuador. Ronnie Nader, director of the Ecuadorian Civil Space Agency (EXA), warns that Ecuadorians living at high altitudes are exposed to higher levels of Ultraviolet Radiation (UV), especially in places like Quito at 2,850 meters above sea level.
The World Health Organization (OMS in Spanish), estimates our maximum tolerable level on the UV index is 11, but “Quito is always above 16” and sometimes reaches 25, according to Nader, who adds that the Equatorial zone is the most affected by the destruction of the ozone layer of the South Pole. Accumulated effects of chlorofluorocarbons have weakened the ozone layer, which had acted as a natural protection against the Sun’s rays. Ultraviolet radiation can also cause damage to the eyes, such as cataracts. People are advised to avoid exposure to the Sun at midday when it is very strong and to use a sunscreen with a protection factor of 70 or 100 (and/or a Hat).
Dan Delgado for the Communications Committee for English-speaking residents of Cotacachi