Local volunteers offered cholera vaccinations by PMI<\/p>\n
Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Although the situation in Aceh is slightly improving nearly three
\nweeks after the Dec. 26 tsunami disaster, diseases such as
\ncholera have posed a major threat to survivors and volunteers in
\nAceh and North Sumatra.<\/p>\n
Given this condition, volunteers have been urged to wear face
\nmasks and plastic gloves as cholera is a waterborne disease that
\ncan quickly spread.<\/p>\n
The disease, which is caused by a bacterium called Vibrio
\ncholerae, could spread through infected people who use already
\ndirty water sources to clean themselves or dispose of waste.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) spokeswoman Aswi Nugroho told The
\nJakarta Post that all of its volunteers were vaccinated against
\ncholera before leaving for Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"We have only vaccinated them against cholera, nothing else,
\nbut we have also given them protection gear, such as masks and
\ngloves,\" Aswi said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
She said that vaccination was not the first priority in
\npreventing the diseases.<\/p>\n
\"The most important thing is that they watch what they eat and
\ndrink, that the food is thoroughly cooked and the water boiled,
\nand that they wash their hands before eating,\" Aswi said.<\/p>\n
She added that, so far, the PMI had sent more than 1,000
\nvolunteers to Aceh, mostly medical workers.<\/p>\n
She also said the PMI would work together with the government
\nand the World Health Organization (WHO) in organizing a cholera
\nvaccination program for children below 10 years of age in Aceh in
\nthe next three months.<\/p>\n
The cholera vaccine is a suspension of two strains of killed
\ncholera bacteria in a saline solution. It is only 50 percent
\neffective in preventing the disease and has a limited protection
\nperiod of six months to two years.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Red Crescent (BSMI) Aceh medical team head Basuki
\nSupartono said that none of his volunteers had been vaccinated
\nagainst cholera.<\/p>\n
He added that most of his volunteers were working at the BSMI
\nhospital, not helping with the evacuation process, so that the
\nrisk of infection was smaller.<\/p>\n
\"We still require them to wear protection gear,\" Basuki told
\nthe Post.<\/p>\n
Jose Rizal Jurnalis of the Medical Emergency Rescue Committee
\n(Mer-C) concurred with the statement, saying that vaccination was
\nnot an effective means of cholera prevention.<\/p>\n
\"It's easy to deal with cholera. You just give tetracycline to
\nthe infected person and keep everything clean around you,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Jose said that none of his 70 volunteers were vaccinated
\nagainst cholera, although he added that it was actually not
\nnecessary to do so.<\/p>\n
The BSMI had not yet recorded any case of cholera in Aceh, he
\nsaid. \"However, people there are still suffering from common
\ndiarrhea and respiratory problems such as pneumonia.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/local-volunteers-offered-cholera-vaccinations-by-pmi-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}