Respiratory illness, diarrhea kill 97 in Papua

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.