City wants to reprimand embassies<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Jakarta administration asked the central government on
\nTuesday to urge embassies in the capital to cooperate in efforts
\nto curb a dengue fever outbreak.<\/p>\n
"Since the central government, in this case the Ministry of
\nHealth, has declared that the spread of dengue fever has reached
\nan alarming level, the authority to reprimand the embassies is in
\nthe hands of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," Central Jakarta
\nMayor Muhayat told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Central Jakarta hosts many of the embassies in the capital.<\/p>\n
Governor Sutiyoso earlier complained that many embassies were
\nreluctant to join the administration's efforts to fight the
\ndengue outbreak.<\/p>\n
"I have received reports that some state officials also
\nrefused to open their doors when our officers came to fumigate or
\nmake door-to-door checks," the governor remarked.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso said such a lack of cooperation was a violation of
\nLaw No. 4\/1984 on communicable diseases, which calls for a
\nmaximum punishment of one year in prison and\/or a Rp 1 million
\n(US$112) fine for those who impede the government's efforts to
\nfight disease outbreaks.<\/p>\n
The administration has deployed health officers to fumigate
\nareas where dengue fever cases have been reported, and to
\ndisseminate information on dengue and go door-to-door to check
\nthat residents are taking preventative measures to stop the
\nspread of the disease.<\/p>\n
Fumigation is necessary to kill the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes
\nthat transmit the dengue fever virus. Preventive measures,
\nincluding covering, cleaning and burying all items that could
\nhold standing water, are meant to stop the mosquito from breeding
\nand kill the larvae.<\/p>\n
Sutiyoso slammed those who had failed to cooperate with the
\nadministration's efforts to fight the outbreak, saying they put
\nthe whole operation in jeopardy.<\/p>\n
"If this lack of cooperation continues, we will drag them into
\ncourt," he said.<\/p>\n
The dengue fever outbreak is expected to continue for the next
\nthree months. So far, 18 people have died of the disease.<\/p>\n
The central government announced an extraordinary occurrence
\nof dengue fever in 12 provinces and allocated Rp 500 million in
\ncash and medicine for each of the local administrations.<\/p>\n
A report from the health ministry said at least 5,500 people
\nacross the country had contracted dengue fever since January,
\nwith 120 deaths.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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