Govt calls for blood for dengue sufferers
Govt calls for blood for dengue sufferers
JAKARTA (JP): Alarmed by the rising death toll in the
nationwide dengue fever outbreak, government officials made a
fresh call yesterday for the public to donate blood.
Dengue fever has particularly affected Java and South
Sulawesi. Close to 200 people have reportedly died and thousands
of others have been hospitalized so far this year.
Hospitals in affected areas have been asked to spare more
spaces for dengue patients. The epidemic is predicted to reach
its peak next month or in June.
In Jakarta, where the death toll climbed to 54 yesterday, the
administration will require its civil servants to donate blood to
help the 5,680 people currently in hospital suffering from the
disease.
Deputy Governor for Social Welfare Affairs Djailani said
yesterday that demand for blood from the local chapter of the
Indonesian Red Cross had risen sharply over the past week.
City Red Cross chief Uga Wiranto reported Wednesday that blood
supply was very low and that her understaffed office had to toil
round the clock to meet the demand.
"From now on donating blood will be made a regular event for
every city government office throughout the year, not only during
dengue outbreaks," Djailani said.
"Donating blood will be a main feature of every office's
anniversary."
The nationwide campaign for blood donations to help dengue
patients was first called by Minister of Social Affairs Siti
Hardijanti Rukmana here Wednesday.
In the East Java capital of Surabaya, the local Red Cross is
issuing 90 blood bags, which contain 250cc each, every day, local
Red Cross chief Budi Arifa said.
Budi reported that the number of cases of dengue fever in the
coastal city was increasing every day, prompting the Red Cross to
work extra hard to ensure an adequate supply of blood.
"We have called on the people, especially patients' relatives
to donate their blood," she said.
In the South Sulawesi capital of Ujungpandang, health
officials reported yesterday that as of Wednesday, 19 of the
approximately 600 people treated for dengue so far this year had
died.
The head of the provincial health office, Burhanuddin Yusuf,
told The Jakarta Post that the government was intensifying
efforts to eradicate Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that transmit the
dengue virus.
Health authorities in Yogyakarta said four more people died in
hospital of dengue yesterday, bringing the number of local
fatalities to 48.
Local activists of environmental organizations and politicians
urged the local government to do more to control the outbreak.
"Dengue has claimed dozens of lives. The government should act
without delay to end the epidemic," said Marfuah Djamal, a city
council member.
In Bogor, West Java, the death toll reached 25 yesterday and
about 800 people were hospitalized, officials said.
Bogor Mayor Eddy Gunardi criticized hospitals which asked
patients' relatives for a down payment.
"How can a hospital committed to humanitarian work ask for a
down payment?" he asked.
He said the mayoralty had set up alert posts in 68 subdistrict
offices to monitor the development of the dengue fever outbreak.
The alert posts would also be asked to distribute free abate
powder to residents to kill the Aedes aegypti larvae.
The mayoralty plans to fumigate the worst hit areas, including
Kebon Pedes, Lawang Gintung, Kedung Halang, Kedung Badak, Kedung
Waringin and Ciparigi.
Nine community health centers in the regency were asked to
open around the clock.
In Tangerang, where dengue has so far claimed 19 lives and
hospitalized 557 others, hospitals have been asked to prepare
more rooms for the increasing number of patients.
Tangerang General Hospital has increased the number of medical
personnel to handle the streaming patients.
In Semarang, officials said the disease had killed 62 people
and affected another 2,259 in Central Java.
(ind/aan/jun/30/23/24/41/edt)