Minister criticizes war against rats

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Minister of Health Achmad Sujudi criticized the city administration's policy in curbing the spread of postflood leptospirosis disease by killing rats, saying that the most important thing is to clean up the former flooded areas.

He told journalists on Monday that rats, which carry the disease, was one carrier of the disease, while the major cause was garbage.

"The disease has spread because of the garbage resulting from the flooding, and humans came into contact with the water (contaminated by rats' urine). It would be more effective if we asked the people to disinfect their houses," Sujudi remarked.

Governor Sutiyoso has called on people to kill rats in order to curb the spread of leptospirosis, which so far has claimed nine lives. He did not instruct people on how to kill the rodents.

People can be infected if rat urine in the floodwater enters the skin through a wound or the bacteria is accidentally consumed.

The mounting garbage that is left untransported in many parts of the city, especially in traditional markets, has helped boost the population of rats.

Sutiyoso's efforts to curb the postflood disease, however, have not involved the sanitation agency.

The minister tried to calm the people by playing down the possibility of further spreading of the disease as it was not airborne. "Besides, the disease can be cured with common antibiotics, such as penicillin, so the spreading will not be as fast as other contagious diseases," Sujudi said.

He underlined that his office was monitoring the spread of the disease and that there was no sign of further infections.