City administration fails to fight spread of leprosy

JAKARTA (JP): While claiming to have continuously provided free medication for lepers, the city administration remains unable to curb the number of people infected with leprosy.

Deputy Governor for Public Welfare Djailani disclosed on Tuesday the increasing number of people suffering from the disease.

"There were 896 recorded cases of leprosy during the January to March 2000 period. Meanwhile, there were a total of 657 recorded patients for the whole of last year," he said.

Djailani, however, blames the increasing figures on some lepers from outside Jakarta working on the city's streets as beggars.

"We've learned that some people have been taking advantage of the lepers' sufferings," he said, without elaborating.

In an attempt to curb the number of lepers in the capital, he said, the administration would coordinate with other regional administrations to prevent the lepers from leaving their hometowns with treatment being provided in their respective cities of origin.

Djailani, however, failed to mention the number of beggars suffered from leprosy in the city. He suggested that journalists obtain the data from the City Social Affairs Agency.

However, an official at this agency was reluctant to provide the data without receiving direct permission from Djailani.

Djailani said that the 896 lepers have been receiving free medical treatment to cure the disease at local hospitals and community health centers (Puskesmas).

"The City Social Affairs Agency is responsible for taking care of lepers who earn their living as beggars on the city's streets," he said.

He guaranteed that the budget was not a problem, pointing to the fact that Jakarta is the country's richest province.

"If the 896 lepers remain uncured, we will evaluate the free medication program," he said.

Currently, the administration provides free medical treatment for lepers at ten hospitals, including Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital in Central Jakarta, Fatmawati Hospital in South Jakarta and the Persahabatan Hospital in East Jakarta, and in 60 community health centers throughout the capital.

City Health Agency data shows that only some 3,229 lepers have been cured in the past 15 years.

Djailani said that efforts to help curb their numbers would include vocational training for the lepers.

"Aside from localizing the lepers for treatment, we will provide them with skills to enable them to survive as active members of the society," he said.

"That way, they will not burden their families or society."

M. Sihombing of the City Social Affairs Agency said his office would provide a mobile rehabilitation service to provide free medical treatment for those who cannot reach local health centers.

"Such a mobile service is needed to speed up the handling of the problem," Sihombing said. (lup)