Diarrhea kills 23 in Maluku

AMBON, Maluku: At least 23 toddlers have died from diarrhea in the past month in Ambalau district, Buru regency, Maluku.

The chief of Ambalau district, Ruslan Makatita, blamed the large number of deaths on a shortage of medical professionals in the area. There are only two nurses for thousands of people in the district, said Ruslan on Tuesday.

He said he had filed a report with the Buru regency government asking for help dealing with the outbreak.

The deputy head of the Maluku provincial health office, Fenno Tahalele, confirmed the outbreak of diarrhea but gave a lower fatality figure.

Fenno said that according to a report from the Maluku provincial administration secretary, five toddlers had died in Ambalau, not 23. -- JP