'Squatters at high risk of dengue'

'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