Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
November 11, 2009
Nurfika Osman
A man fumigating rented rooms in Jakarta on Tuesday. The government is urging people to be proactive in controlling mosquitoes. (Photo: Fanny Octavianus, Antara)
Indonesia's Cities Must Prepare for Dengue: Ministry
The Health Ministry has warned medical officials to prepare for an outbreak of dengue fever throughout Indonesia after data from West Kalimantan showed a sustained increase in the number of cases from May to July.
?We have sent circulars to provincial health officers outlining the prevention programs that should be implemented in their regions by the end of October," Rita Kusriastuti, the ministry's director for disease control, said on Wednesday.
Kusriastuti said there were 200 cases in Pontianak, the capital of West Kalimantan, in May. There were a further 400 patients in June, followed by 700 more in July.
In addition, ministry data shows that patients suffering dengue fever are starting to increase in densely populated cities across Java and some cities in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi.
?Puddles [of water] in almost all cities in the province are causing the number of cases to increase,? she said. ?However, the figure retreated to 500 in August because of the effects of the province?s prevention measures.?
From June, she said, the Pontianak health office had given free medication to dengue fever patients in government hospitals and by the end of the month had set up a dengue fever command post.
She said the post was giving out free medical treatment to patients in addition to providing education on how to combat mosquito larvae.
"Some hospitals have reported that the number of cases is increasing in September and October," she said. However, she emphasized that the ministry had received final data by the provincial health office regarding the number of cases recorded.
The health office has a program called Community Health Centers Greet. Volunteers from the group have been campaigning to emphasize the importance of burying artificial containers, such as plastic cups, broken bottles, and flower pots, as well as cleaning their bathtubs, and ensuring that water reservoirs are closed.
"People should be taking these steps in order to prevent the spread of dengue fever," Kusriastuti said. "Unfortunately, many people are still too lazy to do this until the outbreak has started."
She said that in the circulars the health ministry commanded program called Eradication of Mosquito's Nests Prior to Prevalence Period (PSN SMP).
"They are now implementing this program until the subdistrict level so the dengue fever can be handled preemptively. We cannot wait until the extraordinary outbreak occurs," she said, adding that fumigation is also a part of the program to combat the risk of contracting mosquito-borne dengue fever.
The ministry data shows that from January until July there were 585 deaths in Indonesia from dengue out of 77,000 cases. The death toll decreased on the same period last year, when 734 out of 91,000 infected people died.
"We predict that dengue fever will reach its peak in February throughout Indonesia, because of the rains," Kusriastuti said.
She added that in Jakarta, some government hospitals were ready to take care of dengue patients. She said that Hospitals of Koja, Cengkareng, Tarakan, Budi Asih, and Cipto Mangunkusumo were prepared. They now have more beds in anticipation of the sudden increase of patients.
"There are no serious cases in those hospitals so far, but people infected with dengue fever will continue to be hospitalized there,? she said.
?The simplest way to prevent the spread is to breed any kind of fish at home as they will eat mosquito larvae," she said.
http://thejakartaglobe.com/national/indonesias-cities-must-prepare-for-dengue-ministry/340912
Nurfika Osman
Indonesia's Cities Must Prepare for Dengue: Ministry
The Health Ministry has warned medical officials to prepare for an outbreak of dengue fever throughout Indonesia after data from West Kalimantan showed a sustained increase in the number of cases from May to July.
?We have sent circulars to provincial health officers outlining the prevention programs that should be implemented in their regions by the end of October," Rita Kusriastuti, the ministry's director for disease control, said on Wednesday.
Kusriastuti said there were 200 cases in Pontianak, the capital of West Kalimantan, in May. There were a further 400 patients in June, followed by 700 more in July.
In addition, ministry data shows that patients suffering dengue fever are starting to increase in densely populated cities across Java and some cities in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi.
?Puddles [of water] in almost all cities in the province are causing the number of cases to increase,? she said. ?However, the figure retreated to 500 in August because of the effects of the province?s prevention measures.?
From June, she said, the Pontianak health office had given free medication to dengue fever patients in government hospitals and by the end of the month had set up a dengue fever command post.
She said the post was giving out free medical treatment to patients in addition to providing education on how to combat mosquito larvae.
"Some hospitals have reported that the number of cases is increasing in September and October," she said. However, she emphasized that the ministry had received final data by the provincial health office regarding the number of cases recorded.
The health office has a program called Community Health Centers Greet. Volunteers from the group have been campaigning to emphasize the importance of burying artificial containers, such as plastic cups, broken bottles, and flower pots, as well as cleaning their bathtubs, and ensuring that water reservoirs are closed.
"People should be taking these steps in order to prevent the spread of dengue fever," Kusriastuti said. "Unfortunately, many people are still too lazy to do this until the outbreak has started."
She said that in the circulars the health ministry commanded program called Eradication of Mosquito's Nests Prior to Prevalence Period (PSN SMP).
"They are now implementing this program until the subdistrict level so the dengue fever can be handled preemptively. We cannot wait until the extraordinary outbreak occurs," she said, adding that fumigation is also a part of the program to combat the risk of contracting mosquito-borne dengue fever.
The ministry data shows that from January until July there were 585 deaths in Indonesia from dengue out of 77,000 cases. The death toll decreased on the same period last year, when 734 out of 91,000 infected people died.
"We predict that dengue fever will reach its peak in February throughout Indonesia, because of the rains," Kusriastuti said.
She added that in Jakarta, some government hospitals were ready to take care of dengue patients. She said that Hospitals of Koja, Cengkareng, Tarakan, Budi Asih, and Cipto Mangunkusumo were prepared. They now have more beds in anticipation of the sudden increase of patients.
"There are no serious cases in those hospitals so far, but people infected with dengue fever will continue to be hospitalized there,? she said.
?The simplest way to prevent the spread is to breed any kind of fish at home as they will eat mosquito larvae," she said.
http://thejakartaglobe.com/national/indonesias-cities-must-prepare-for-dengue-ministry/340912