Intestinal worms not a major problem for Seribu islanders
JAKARTA (JP): Head of North Jakarta Health Office Sony L. Tobing denied a remark that most residents of the Seribu Islands are suffering from intestinal worms.
Sony said the remark, made by a member of the City Council, was not supported by scientific research and was based mainly on condition in 1970s.
"Even though my office has not conducted research on this health problem, I am sure that the situation is much better now," Sony said on Friday.
He also questioned the source of the remark. "How can we conclude that a resident suffers from intestinal worms, if he or she is short of nutrition?" he asked.
According to data at his office, approximately 40 percent of Seribu islands' residents are suffering from respiratory diseases, 25 percent from skin diseases and another 19 percent from nearsightedness.
Sony explained that a community health center in the area also recorded that 19 out of 100 residents on the Seribu Islands suffer from anemia.
Sony said that efforts to do research at his office, in a bid to get more reliable data on health problems in the area, is hindered mainly by the absence of electricity.
"We need a constant electricity supply to operate our electron microscopes," he said, adding that the existing electricity supply is generated mostly by using solar technology and is not adequate to operate the microscopes.
Sony explained that his office has so far built six public toilet facilities on four of the biggest islands -- Panggang, Tidung, Kelapa and Untung Jawa -- in an effort to increase residents' awareness about health and to reduce the possibility of being infected by intestinal worms.
Sony admitted that changing the bad habits of local people, who prefer to relieve themselves on the beach, is time consuming. "We need volunteers to help educate residents and make them change their bad habits," he added.
According to Sony, there are of 40 doctors and paramedics working on the islands serving a total of 15,000 residents. (yns)