'Dengue campaign only lip service'<\/p>\n
Although the current number of casualties of dengue hemorrhagic
\nfever is lower than last year's, the government has announced an
\nextraordinary occurrence of dengue fever in 12 provinces affected
\nby the dengue outbreak, including Jakarta. The Jakarta Post asked
\nresidents for their opinion on the measures taken by the
\ngovernment to prevent the spread of the mosquito borne disease.<\/p>\n
Idham, 37, owns a language and administrative studies center
\nin Pejaten, South Jakarta. He lives with his wife and three
\nchildren in Pancoran, also in South Jakarta:<\/p>\n
I've heard that the government has declared Jakarta one of the
\nareas with an extraordinary occurrence of dengue. But do you see
\nany activities or even an emergency atmosphere in the capital
\nshowing that we are in a critical situation? I don't.<\/p>\n
It is just business as usual. Although I've been told that two
\nresidents outside our housing complex have been treated in
\nhospital for dengue fever, no one, not even officials from the
\nsubdistrict administration or from the health agency have come to
\nassist us in preventing an outbreak.<\/p>\n
I think the Jakarta administration talks up its efforts to the
\nmedia, so that the public thinks everything is under control.
\nMoreover, the President has called for the issue to be tackled
\nmore seriously in order to prevent more infections.<\/p>\n
The media has reported what the government is doing or its
\nplans, but the government never communicates directly with the
\npeople.<\/p>\n
Liesna, 28, works at a beauty parlor in Kebon Jeruk, West
\nJakarta. She lives with her parents in Kebayoran Lama, South
\nJakarta:<\/p>\n
We shouldn't depend on the government to clean up our
\nneighborhoods. We should take the initiative ourselves and not
\nwait for officials to tell us what to do.<\/p>\n
Maybe I don't know much about dengue, but I do know that it is
\ntransmitted by a mosquito that breeds in clear water, such as our
\nbath tank.<\/p>\n
So, all we have to do is to clean or change the standing water
\naround our house. That does not sound like such a big deal, and
\nit's something that everyone can do.<\/p>\n
However, without concerted efforts from all of us, our
\nindividual efforts are rendered useless. A mosquito from next
\ndoor, for example, could infect someone from my family, even
\nthough we have cleaned up our house. I hope other people pay
\nattention to this.<\/p>\n
--The Jakarta Post<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/dengue-campaign-only-lip-service-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }