Malaria drives resettlers out

BATULICIN, East Kalimantan: Hundreds industrial forest inhabitants in Trans Satui, Kotabaru district, have fled the area since January owing to an outbreak of malaria.

A forestry company official told Antara news agency over the weekend that seven people died of malaria recently, while dozens of other people left the area to seek medical help in the Ulin Banjarmasin hospital.

A spokesman at a local forestry company, however, said that the people, who are mostly resettlers from other provinces, left because they couldn't make a living at the resettlement site.

A health worker, Lamenan Gunawan, said that about 80 percent of the 400 resettlers have shown symptoms of malaria, while 41 people have been diagnosed with the disease.

Kotabaru regent Amras Bektam said his office has dispatched a team of medical workers, as well as food supplies, because many of the resettlers were also malnourished.

The local office of the Ministry of Transmigration has promised to continue assisting the resettlers. (16)