Salient points in epidemic law

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Health Minister Ahmad Sujudi invoked Law No. 4/1984 to declare the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) a national epidemic by issuing Ministerial Decree No. 424/2003.

Law No. 4/1984 on epidemic diseases consists of 17 articles regulating measures on tackling epidemics, including sanctions for those who obstruct efforts to prevent and contain the epidemic.

Some highlights of Law No. 4/1984:

Articles 3 and 4 of the law state that the health minister has the authority to determine whether a disease is of epidemic proportions or not, and to decide where and when the law is to enacted or discontinued.

Article 5 says that measures to tackle epidemic diseases include: - investigation of cases - medical checkups, treatment, isolation and quarantining of patients - prevention and vaccination - destroying the sources of the disease - treatment of corpses - distribution of information to the public

Article 11 states that anyone who knows of a suspected case must report it to the nearest local authorities. The local authorities then have to report the cases to their immediate superior. Following that, the highest authority in the regions have to take appropriate actions.

Article 14 (1) states that anybody who intentionally obstructs measures to contain the epidemic will be sentenced to one year in prison and/or a maximum fine of Rp 1 million.

Article 14 (2) states that anybody who unintentionally obstructs the measures to contain the epidemic will be sentenced to six months in prison and/or a maximum fine of Rp 500,000.