RI yet to respond to anthrax threat<\/p>\n
Annastashya Emmanuelle and Fitri Wulandari, The Jakarta Post,
\nJakarta<\/p>\n
Despite the anthrax attacks in the United States, the
\ngovernment has yet to take any special precautions against the
\npossibility of such attacks being repeated here.<\/p>\n
This was because there was no real evidence that such attacks
\nhad taken place in Indonesia, Umar Fahmi Achmadi, director
\ngeneral for contagious disease eradication and environmental
\nsanitation at the Ministry of Health, said in an interview on
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
\"So far, it has just been mass hysteria. There is no concrete
\nevidence. If there is a real case where people have gotten sick
\nafter receiving mail or parcels, then we will immediately take
\naction,\"<\/p>\n
Besides, there has been no indication that Indonesia would be
\ntargeted for attack, Umar added.<\/p>\n
Umar said special precautions were not necessary because all
\nhospitals, laboratories, and public health centers were ready to
\ntake immediate action should an anthrax case occur as they had
\nexperience with anthrax outbreaks in the past.<\/p>\n
\"We have anthrax cases almost every year. So, healthcare
\nofficials know how to handle the disease. Even public health
\ncenters have guidelines on how to treat anthrax,\" Umar added.<\/p>\n
The most recent anthrax outbreak occurred in February 2001, in
\nHambalang, Bogor, West Java. Earlier, an anthrax outbreak was
\nalso reported in Boyolali in Central Java.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, Umar said, the public should not be panicked by
\nthe anthrax threat as the disease could be easily treated with
\nantibiotics.<\/p>\n
However, he advised the public to remain alert.<\/p>\n
\"Should you receive any mysterious letters or parcels, please
\nimmediately report them to the police. The police can then notify
\nthe nearest hospital or laboratory to check if the letter
\ncontains the anthrax virus,\" Umar said, adding that the media
\ncould help raise public awareness through its coverage.<\/p>\n
The postal service, nevertheless, claims that it has neither
\nthe knowledge nor the technology to detect the deadly anthrax
\nbug, and has yet to receive instructions from the Directorate
\nGeneral for Post and Telecommunications on preventative actions.<\/p>\n
\"Most of our operational staff don't even know what anthrax is
\nand how the virus is spread... we have very little knowledge on
\nthis matter,\" said Baharuddin, the region IV secretary of PT Pos
\nIndonesia, who manages post offices in greater Jakarta.<\/p>\n
As the bug has become quite a serious matter in post offices
\nthroughout Europe and the U.S., Baharuddin hopes that the Health
\nMinistry will soon brief him on anthrax and its proper handling.<\/p>\n
Thus far, directorate officials seem to be taking the issue
\nlightly, and it has not yet been discussed in officials'
\nmeetings.<\/p>\n
\"Perhaps because it happened just recently.. we're still
\ntreating mail on the basis of normal procedures,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Post office workers, along with officials from the Customs
\nOffice, still rely on a basic X-ray check for international mail
\nunder 20 grams as a means of detecting heroin, although packages
\nare opened manually when checking for prohibited or taxable
\nitems.<\/p>\n
Postal staff sort mail with their bare hands, and are not
\nequipped with face masks.<\/p>\n
Baharuddin said that, without any formal instruction from the
\nDirectorate General for Post and Telecommunications, the post
\noffice could not take any action even though operational staff
\nwere facing a health hazard.<\/p>\n
\"We will soon raise the issue with the Directorate General.
\nMeanwhile, there is really nothing that we can do,\" he
\nreiterated.<\/p>\n
There is an average of 5,000 incoming mail items from the
\nUnited States delivered daily throughout the country, he added.<\/p>",
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