Agency slow to spread bird flu info<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
What is the key to combating bird flu? The answer may be as
\nsimple as good personal and environmental hygiene, but Jakarta
\nhealth officials have been slow to share this information with
\nthe public.<\/p>\n
While one more person with bird flu died on Monday and 22
\nothers are under observation at Sulianti Saroso Hospital in North
\nJakarta, the city health agency has been more focused on curative
\nthan preventive measures.<\/p>\n
However, community health centers in areas where bird flu has
\nbeen reported have been more active in disseminating information
\non bird flu and how to contain the virus.<\/p>\n
\"We asked health officials to talk to local residents on how
\nto deal with bird flu right after the closure of Ragunan Zoo,\"
\nsaid Ragunan sub-district head Fihir Sadil.<\/p>\n
But the campaign only reached a few locals since it was held
\nin the sub-district office. The sub-district itself is diverse as
\nkampong areas are located nearby upmarket residences.<\/p>\n
Local health center staff have distributed flyers on
\npreventive measures as well as the symptoms of bird flu.<\/p>\n
A similar campaign has been launched in Pesanggrahan sub-
\ndistrict, where the city saw its first bird flu fatality.<\/p>\n
However, bird-flu free areas have not been so active in
\neducating residents, particularly poultry keepers.<\/p>\n
\"We were only told by health officers to have ourselves
\nchecked if we came down with the flu,\" said Wiguno Adi, a
\nresident of Jagakarsa, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Community health workers in Cilandak and Pondok Labu, South
\nJakarta, said they had only been told to watch out for patients
\nshowing symptoms of bird flu.<\/p>\n
\"We are few in number. We can't go door-to-door instructing
\npeople to observe good hygiene,\" said a doctor at the center who
\nrefused to be identified.<\/p>\n
City health agency spokesperson Zelvyno said the agency had
\ntold community health workers to meet with locals and reeducate
\nthem on good hygiene.<\/p>\n
\"It is up to the centers to allow time for the campaign, there
\nis no special budget for it,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The government has put the outbreak of bird flu
\nunder extraordinary status, a level that requires the government
\nto pool its resources to fight the disease.<\/p>\n
The health ministry's director for communicable diseases and
\nenvironmental health I Nyoman Kandun said if residents observed
\ngood hygiene the risk of the virus spreading would be reduced by
\n95 percent.<\/p>\n
\"It will also help us fight other diseases like hepatitis,\" he
\nsaid. (003)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/agency-slow-to-spread-bird-flu-info-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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