Soviets Ask for Help on Chernobyl Problems

A Soviet parliamentary delegation, decrying the secrecy their government imposed after the Chernobyl nuclear accident four years ago, made an urgent appeal to the United States and the world Friday for help in dealing with towering medical and other problems.

Severe shortages exist in medical equipment, radiological and other scientific laboratories, radiation detectors, housing for scores of thousands of relocated people and even baby food, the five-man delegation said at a news conference at the Soviet Embassy.

“The history of mankind never knew an ecological catastrophe which is so disastrous and having unknown consequences for the nature, health and life of the present and future generations,” the delegation said, relaying an appeal made originally by officials of the Ukraine and endorsed this week by the Supreme Soviet.

Yuri N. Shcherbak, chairman of the ecology subcommittee of the Supreme Soviet and a physician, said it had taken a political struggle to open secret medical records and uncover the true extent of the damage caused by the radiation that poured from the Chernobyl reactor 80 miles north of the Ukrainian capital of Kiev.

The accident, on April 26, 1986, began with a fire in one of four reactors followed by a core meltdown and an explosion, which sent huge quantities of radiation billowing into the atmosphere.

Shcherbak said thyroid disorders are beginning to appear along with the first cases of leukemia and cancer.

He said serious medical effects are now expected to last decades, perhaps centuries.

Kakimbek S. Salykov, chairman of the delegation, said deaths attributed to Chernobyl have reached at least 300, compared to the official report of 31. About 150,000 people show some effects of radiation poisoning, he said.

But he said the true extent of medical damage may never be known because a shroud of secrecy was placed on data after the accident and no statistics were compiled on the effects of radiation on the 600,000 people who took part in the initial cleanup.

HELP FOR A HERO--Soviet pilot waits in Seattle for a marrow transplant. A22