Government declares war against major diseases<\/p>\n
The government will intensify efforts to combat disease this year
\nin a bid to reverse its failure to control major diseases such as
\ntuberculosis, malaria, HIV\/AIDS, leprosy and dengue fever, health
\nminister Sujudi says.<\/p>\n
To achieve this goal, the government was planning to recruit
\nanother 66,000 medical personnel, Sujudi said in a year-end
\nreview of his ministry's performance.<\/p>\n
Under the new program in 2002, every village across the
\ncountry will have two new health workers. They will assist
\nmidwives and paramedics in the eradication of communicable
\ndiseases, the minister said.<\/p>\n
Tuberculosis remains a major problem with 500,000 new cases,
\nand 175,000 fatalities, reported each year. Mortality rates are
\nhigh because people are reluctant to visit public health clinics
\nand undergo routine treatment, he said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia was declared free of malaria in 1970, but it has
\nmade a comeback since 1995 due to the lack of attention to
\nmaintaining cleanliness. According to the official statistics, an
\nestimated six million people in 25 provinces have contracted
\nmalaria and 700 die of the disease every year.<\/p>\n
The number of leprosy cases remains high in Indonesia this
\nyear. With 14,647 cases reported in 11 provinces, Indonesia has
\nthe fourth highest incidence of leprosy in the world after India,
\nBrazil and Myanmar.<\/p>\n
HIV\/AIDS is also constantly on the rise. The health ministry
\nhas recorded 2,313 cases but the actual figure is estimated to
\nreach 120,000.<\/p>\n
Dengue fever, which was first recorded in 1968 in Surabaya and
\nJakarta with 59 cases, has reached epidemic proportions. In 2001,
\nhealth officials recorded 6,797 cases in 16 provinces. --JP<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/government-declares-war-against-major-diseases-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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