It's official, Mega declares dengue a problem<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
President Megawati Soekarnoputri expressed her sorrow and
\noffered help to the families of the country's dengue victims on
\nThursday -- 255 deaths, thousands of cases and two months after
\nthe beginning of the epidemic.<\/p>\n
In a televised speech, the President offered a prayer for the
\nvictims. She instructed governors, regents and mayors nationwide
\nto devote their energy to resolve the infectious illness, which
\nshe described as a humanitarian threat.<\/p>\n
Leaders should help the patients regardless of their
\nbackground or economic ability, she said.<\/p>\n
\"To the families of the deceased victims, on behalf of the
\npeople and the government, I express my deepest condolences. I
\npray that God gives you patience and endurance in facing this
\nhardship,\" the President said.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla and
\nMinister of Health Achmad Suyudi have insisted the government has
\nallocated enough funds to combat the disease and said it had
\ntaken decisive action to stop the outbreak.<\/p>\n
Both the President and the government have been criticized
\nbefore for not responding quickly enough to national emergencies
\nand disasters and for promising, but not delivering on, aid and
\nmoney to victims.<\/p>\n
In her speech, Megawati asked people to clean up their
\nneighborhoods to kill the dengue mosquito and stop the spread of
\nthe fever.<\/p>\n
\"Let us ensure that our neighborhoods don't serve as a nest
\nfor the dangerous mosquito to live in,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Indonesian Red Cross head Mar'ie Muhammad called on
\nthe public to donate blood to help patients.<\/p>\n
\"Many dengue patients are facing a shortage of blood,
\ntherefore donors are needed urgently,\" Antara quoted Mar'ie as
\nsaying.<\/p>\n
As of Thursday, Jakarta's health agency reported 53 people had
\ndied of the fever out of 5,431 reported cases.<\/p>\n
The City administration, meanwhile, is sticking to its plan to
\nimport 42 new mobile fumigation devices from the United States.<\/p>\n
The devices would boost the capability of the administration
\nto fumigate a total area of 650,000 hectares monthly. Jakarta
\npresently has 587 fogging devices, which are only capable of
\nfumigating 22,500 hectares a month.<\/p>\n
\"The new fogging devices could fumigate an area located up to
\n50 meters away from the device, while the old ones could only
\nfumigate between two and three meters away,\" City health agency
\nhead Chalik Masulili told a media briefing.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, the West Java administration asked for more
\nfunding for powder to kill the Aedes aegypti larvae.<\/p>\n
Health agency chief Fatimah Resmiati said the province only
\nhad 6,000 liters of powder, while it needed at least 100,000
\nliters.<\/p>\n
Cases in the area had increased by 400 percent during the past
\ntwo months to 3,050 patients, who were currently being treated in
\nhospitals across the province. There have been 53 fatalities.
\nWest Java is the second-worst hit province after Jakarta.<\/p>\n
In Bali, Gusti Ayu Maryani, 30, died on Thursday morning at
\nSanglah General Hospital after being treated for 12 hours at the
\nfacility. In the last six days, 35 dengue patients have been
\ntreated at hospitals.<\/p>\n
In Yogyakarta, provincial health office chief Choirul Anwar
\nwarned April would become the peak of the epidemic in the special
\nprovince. The disease has claimed four lives there.<\/p>\n
In Cirebon, West Java, local authorities deployed 57,000
\nstudents to ensure surrounding areas were free of dengue-carrying
\nmosquito larvae.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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