(Seychelles News Agency) - Exposure from radiofrequency electromagnetic fields radiation in Seychelles is well below recommended international guidelines for public exposure, a study has found. 

The research commissioned by the Seychelles’ Department for Information Communication Technology (DICT) was undertaken by consultants from Ls South Africa Communications Services (Pty) Ltd.

The findings, as well as methodology used for the research, was presented to service providers in this field and other relevant agencies on Wednesday.

“The findings showed that all measurements conducted at all these sites have shown that the exposure limits are well below the maximum exposure limit defined in the International Commission for Non-ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) published guidelines for public exposure. So there is no cause for concern,” said Paul Pierre, Director for Radio Communications division at the department.

ICNIRP is an international commission specialised in non-ionising radiation protection. The organisation's activities include determining exposure limits for electromagnetic fields used by devices such as cellular phones.

The study was done in March and April this year and its main aim was to determine the extent to which the public is exposed to radiofrequency fields.

It involved conducting measurements at various sites on all three main islands of Mahe, Praslin and La Digue to determine the radiofrequency radiation from mobile base stations.

Vaughan Taylor from the Johannesburg-based company explained that measurements that were done at twenty-five sites measured all frequencies.

These included 2G, 3G, 4G and those from the national radio and television broadcaster -- Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). 

Currently, there are two mobile service providers in Seychelles, 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean. 

They are Airtel and Cable and Wireless. Last week another telecommunication company -- Intelvision – announced that it will be rolling out its 5G mobile network in June 2020.

Medical Officer from the public health authority Vanessa Lesperance who attended the presentation told SNA “there are recommendations made by the World Health Organisation for this and all levels recorded are well below the recommended and accepted limit internationally, so that means that we are in a safe zone.”

Lesperance said that this is something that should be made very clear when the results are disseminated to the wider population.