Hospitals prepare for bird flu cases

Hospitals prepare for bird flu cases

In an effort to stop bird flu becoming a pandemic in Indonesia, medical experts and hospitals are now drawing up a strategy.

"Each country affected has been advised to draft a National Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Plan (NIPPP)," Sardikin Giriputro, the head of a special team for bird flu at the Ministry of Health, said on Wednesday during a symposium on avian influenza.

Sardikin revealed that the ministry had appointed 44 referral hospitals for bird flu across the country.

In Jakarta alone, Persahabatan Hospital in East Jakarta and Sulianti Saroso Hospital in North Jakarta have prepared medical teams and special rooms to treat possible bird flu cases.

"Each hospital should have well-trained human resources, adequate in-patient rooms and sufficient supplies," he explained. -- JP/004