Local volunteers offered cholera vaccinations by PMI

Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Although the situation in Aceh is slightly improving nearly three weeks after the Dec. 26 tsunami disaster, diseases such as cholera have posed a major threat to survivors and volunteers in Aceh and North Sumatra.

Given this condition, volunteers have been urged to wear face masks and plastic gloves as cholera is a waterborne disease that can quickly spread.

The disease, which is caused by a bacterium called Vibrio cholerae, could spread through infected people who use already dirty water sources to clean themselves or dispose of waste.

Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) spokeswoman Aswi Nugroho told The Jakarta Post that all of its volunteers were vaccinated against cholera before leaving for Aceh.

"We have only vaccinated them against cholera, nothing else, but we have also given them protection gear, such as masks and gloves," Aswi said on Wednesday.

She said that vaccination was not the first priority in preventing the diseases.

"The most important thing is that they watch what they eat and drink, that the food is thoroughly cooked and the water boiled, and that they wash their hands before eating," Aswi said.

She added that, so far, the PMI had sent more than 1,000 volunteers to Aceh, mostly medical workers.

She also said the PMI would work together with the government and the World Health Organization (WHO) in organizing a cholera vaccination program for children below 10 years of age in Aceh in the next three months.

The cholera vaccine is a suspension of two strains of killed cholera bacteria in a saline solution. It is only 50 percent effective in preventing the disease and has a limited protection period of six months to two years.

Indonesian Red Crescent (BSMI) Aceh medical team head Basuki Supartono said that none of his volunteers had been vaccinated against cholera.

He added that most of his volunteers were working at the BSMI hospital, not helping with the evacuation process, so that the risk of infection was smaller.

"We still require them to wear protection gear," Basuki told the Post.

Jose Rizal Jurnalis of the Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (Mer-C) concurred with the statement, saying that vaccination was not an effective means of cholera prevention.

"It's easy to deal with cholera. You just give tetracycline to the infected person and keep everything clean around you," he said.

Jose said that none of his 70 volunteers were vaccinated against cholera, although he added that it was actually not necessary to do so.

The BSMI had not yet recorded any case of cholera in Aceh, he said. "However, people there are still suffering from common diarrhea and respiratory problems such as pneumonia."