'Squatters at high risk of dengue'

The Jakarta administration has taken steps to prevent the spread of dengue fever, including fumigating neighborhoods and encouraging residents to clean and bury containers that can hold standing water. Despite these efforts, the number of dengue cases continues to increase. The Jakarta Post asked residents for their opinion on the issue.

Kristina Sri Widiati, 37, is a staff member at the Organization of Indonesian Elderly People. She lives in Semper subdistrict, North Jakarta:

We won't be able to eliminate dengue fever from the city without an integrated effort from all parties -- the city administration, residents and non-governmental organizations.

We cannot just depend on the city administration to deal with this seasonal problem because the administration can only call on the public to prevent the spread of the disease.

In my opinion, the key to fighting the disease is increasing the awareness of residents about the importance of cleaning up their neighborhoods.

However, there are residents who live in slum areas because they have no other place to live. They are at high risk of being infected with the disease.

I think the administration must help ease the risk for these people by improving sanitation in their areas.

Gunawan Wibisono, 40, works in the public relation department at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah in East Jakarta. He lives in Bambu Apus subdistrict, East Jakarta:

The city administration must not focus its campaign to curb the dengue outbreak only on low-income families.

It is important to include luxury houses as well because most of them have swimming pools, which can be used as breeding grounds by mosquitoes if the owners do not clean them.

Therefore, the administration must make sure that swimming pools are cleaned at least once a week.

I think all parties must respect the call to stop the mosquitoes from breeding. Otherwise, we will never eliminate dengue fever.

--The Jakarta Post