Council calls for vigilance against plague

Council calls for vigilance against plague

JAKARTA (JP): City councilors have insisted that the
government take anticipatory measures to avoid any possible
spread of pneumonic plague which has afflicted 1,500 people in
India over the last two weeks.

"Before it's too late, we have to be vigilant against any
possible spread of the plague because even some of our
neighboring countries have taken precautionary actions," said
Ismunandar, deputy speaker of city council from the Indonesian
Democratic Party (PDI) faction.

Ismunandar said over the weekend that to prevent the outbreak
of the plague in Jakarta tight health screening at main entry
points, such as the Soekarno-Hatta international airport, Halim
Perdanakusumah air base and the Tanjung Priok seaport, is
required on arriving Indians and travelers who recently stopped
over in India.

Fourteen countries, including Singapore, have applied tight
health surveillance of all travelers arriving from India.

Minister of Health Sujudi said on Friday that Indonesia will
not bar visitors arriving from India. The death toll in India
rose to over 50 late last week due to the spread of the plague,
and Sujudi said that arrivals from India will be required to fill
in forms concerning the state of their health and their itinerary
in the country upon their arrival.

The fact that there is no direct flight from India to
Indonesia, the minister said, is another reason for the
government not to bar visitors from India.

Any possible carrier of the plague is expected to be detected
at transit points in Bangkok or Singapore.

The minister said, however, that he has directed all health
offices in Indonesia's 27 provinces and regencies to watch out
for any signs of the disease, such as respiratory disorders, as
part of anticipatory measures to halt any possible spread of
pneumonic plague in the country.

Pneumonic plague is highly contagious and spreads between
humans through contaminated sputum or breath.

H.M. Djufrie, deputy speaker of city council from the United
Development Party (PPP) faction, concurred with Ismunandar about
the need to take preventive measures to avoid the spread of the
disease.

Certificates

Djufrie, who is also a medical doctor, said that the
government should consider the possibility of reintroducing the
old policy requiring visitors to produce health certificates to
officials upon their arrival in the country.

"If it is proven that the plague endangers the people's health
then the government should reintroduce a policy requiring
travelers, especially Indians and those who recently visited that
country, to produce their health certificates," he said.

Soegijo, a councilor from the Golkar faction, is of the same
view with Ismunandar and Djufrie on the need to take anticipatory
measures against any possible spread of the disease.

"I think it is high time the government take preventive
measures against any possible spread of the disease here because
Jakarta is one of the country's main gates," Soegiyo said.

However, Soegijo said that the measures, such as health
screening should be conducted with wisdom, "This is needed
because not every person arriving from India is a carrier of the
plague," he said.

The Indian embassy in Jakarta said on Thursday that not every
Indian traveling abroad was a potential a plague carrier, adding
that "rampant screening of Indians landing abroad should
preferably be avoided".

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday that the
killer plague in India was not likely to spread abroad and said
the outbreak was expected to be over within three weeks.

The outbreak has spread from its epicenter near the western
city of Surat across the country to Bombay, Calcutta and New
Delhi.

Dr. Soeharto Wirjowidagdo, the head of the Jakarta Health
Office, called on parents not to panic if their children have any
symptoms similar to those of the plague, such as coughs, runny
nose and chills.

"Just go to the nearest clinic," said Soeharto, adding that
certain penicillin strains, such as streptomycine, tetracycline
and chloramfenichol, if given between eight and 24 hours after
early symptoms of the plague appeared, could treat the disease.
(has/03)