Respiratory illness, diarrhea kill 97 in Papua

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura

At least 97 infants died from respiratory ailments and other illnesses that affected six districts in Paniai regency, Papua over the past two months.

Reverend John Cutts of Kemah Injil church said that the infants were among hundreds of infants and residents in the area who had exhibited symptoms such as vomiting, fever and diarrhea. "The data I got from PT Freeport Indonesia stated 97 infants had died," said Cutts on Thursday.

He said that a team of doctors from the mining company had been dispatched to the area to treat the residents.

Dr. Condro and Semi had been sent to Wandae district, Dr. Patar and Ismail Kogoya to Dugalaga district and Dr. Lana Oyong to Homeo district.

Dr. Lana, who had returned to PT Freeport's base in Tembagapura, Timika, said that at least 52 infants in Homeo district alone had died from respiratory-related diseases and other diseases of which diarrhea was the main symptom since November this year. Homeo district has a population of 16,000.

According to Lana, the diseases are common, but become fatal in the absence of proper medical treatment.

The district has a community health center, but it lacks experienced medical staff and medicine, resulting in poor treatment of local residents.

Lana said that her team had treated some 300 residents, including infants, during its three-day stay in the district, a 35-minutes flight from Tembagapura.

But, official government data says otherwise. Jayapura Health Crisis Center coordinator Paminto Widodo said local Paniai government officials reported that 108 infants in Paniai regency had died since November due to respiratory diseases and diarrhea.

Paminto said that the government officials were investigating what caused the respiratory disease and the diarrhea outbreak in Paniai regency.