Malaria attacks Banyumas, death toll reaches 54
\nOR<\/p>\n
10,000 people infected with malaria, 54 die<\/p>\n
Agus Maryono
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nBanyumas<\/p>\n
Following flooding that hit Banyumas last November, malaria, a
\ntropical disease transferred by the Aegypty mosquito, has
\nafflicted more than 10,000 locals living in swampy areas in the
\nregency and killed 54 during December.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the malaria epidemic has caused serious concerns
\namong tens of thousands of local people, who have demanded that
\nthe local administration take necessary measures to fight the
\ndisease.<\/p>\n
According to data at the Banyumas Public Health Center,
\nmalaria has infected more than 10,000 locals, mostly in the
\nTambak, Sampiuh, Kemranjen, Banyumas and Somagede subdistricts.<\/p>\n
In Sampiuh, more than 8,400 people tested positive for
\nmalaria, and by Saturday 19 had died.<\/p>\n
M. Najib, chief of Sampiuh subdistrict, said malaria was on
\nthe rise in Bogangin, Selanegara, Banjarpanen and Ketanda
\nvillages.<\/p>\n
"The four villages, which were inundated for months following
\nthe rainy season, are fertile swampy land for the breeding of
\nAegypty mosquitoes," he said.<\/p>\n
He called on villagers to visit the public health center to
\nundergo a medical test or to get medication in order to help wage
\na war against the easily transferable disease.<\/p>\n
"We have deployed a medical team and health workers to launch
\nan antimalaria campaign in all villages in the subdistrict," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Daryo, chief of Sampiuh village, said most villagers were
\nworried about the malaria epidemic and had called on the local
\nadministration to provide free medication to sufferers so as to
\nstop the death toll from rising.<\/p>\n
He said all people with malaria had the typical symptoms, like
\nhigh fever and chills.<\/p>\n
"Malaria has plagued hundreds of people in the village and
\nthousands of others in other villages," he said.<\/p>\n
In Kemranjen village, 27 people have died of malaria, with
\nmost of the dead victims passing away before obtaining medication
\nbecause of a lack of funds. More than 4,000 others have symptoms
\nof the disease.<\/p>\n
"It is impossible for villagers to visit the public health
\ncenter since they have no money because their paddy fields were
\ndamaged by the recent flood," Daroni, chief of the village, said.<\/p>\n
Musadad Bikri'i Noor, a member of the Banyumas legislature's
\nCommission E on social affairs, criticized the local
\nadministration's slowness in reacting to the epidemic.<\/p>\n
"Besides being slow, the local administration has been not
\ntransparent in revealing victims of the epidemic. The most
\nimportant thing is that all local people should be given malaria
\npills to help minimize the number of victims and the fast spread
\nof the disease," he said.<\/p>\n
He said he would ask the legislature to hold a hearing with
\nthe Banyumas regent to discuss the epidemic and would ask him to
\ndismiss the chief of the local health ministry.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Choerul Mufid, chief of the local health office,
\nclaimed that malaria had claimed the life of only one person over
\nthe past month.<\/p>\n
"It's true that the number of people infected by the disease
\nhas reached more than 5,000, but only one of them died," he said.<\/p>\n
He said his office would immediately offer medication to all
\nmalaria sufferers in all villages in the subdistrict.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/malaria-attacks-banyumas-death-toll-reaches-54-1447893297",
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