Release information on dengue fever: IDI

JAKARTA (JP): Suppressing information on dengue fever will limit the public's knowledge on how to prevent it, the chairman of the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) said.

Azrul Azwar told The Jakarta Post yesterday that public can not act against the disease if information, including the disclosure of figures on dengue cases, is restricted.

"If press reports are written with the intention to arouse public action, we need not fear widespread panic," he said.

"Prevention of the disease by the public is crucial as much of the necessary action must be done at home," Azrul said, including scrubbing bathroom walls to wipe out mosquito eggs.

Azrul was responding to fears among city health authorities who said the City Hall's public relations office told them not to reveal figures, given the possible negative effects on tourism.

A staff member of the city health agency said he became stressed-out when trying to write a television script on dengue without any figures.

"The audience would feel there is not much ground to the on- going awareness campaign," the source, who requested anonymity, said.

The Ministry of Health promised yesterday to issue an update on the latest figures as soon as possible.

The May figures for Jakarta were 1,880 cases with 28 deaths. East Jakarta ranked the highest with 779 cases and 16 deaths, followed by Central Jakarta with 350 cases and four deaths.

The ministry's directorate of diseases from animal sources records the city's latest dengue figures at 32 per every 100,000 people.

Holani Achmad, the head of monitoring at the subdirectorate in charge of dengue, said the 95 percent target of an area free of aedes aegypti mosquito eggs has not been reached.

"Based on our samples we have only reached 80 percent to 90 percent, which means almost everyone has the mosquito eggs in their homes," he said.

Besides cleaning out still water where the mosquito lays its eggs, dark places where the mosquito hides must also be cleared, which includes hanging spaces for clothes.

Fumigation by trained personnel must be done in subdistricts where dengue cases have doubled in a fortnight. Holani said fumigation is free of charge as the Rp 390,000 (US$169.57) allocated by the government for each location includes transportation, allowances for personnel and pesticide. (anr)