Tanjung Lesung Resort Hotel responds
I would like to reply to Mr. Frank Richardson's letter that appeared in The Jakarta Post on May 17, 1999. Mr. Richardson and his wife have contracted malaria and I would like to wish them a speedy recovery. However, I would also like to correct a number of points raised by Mr. Richardson in the letter. Mr. Richardson believes he contracted malaria while staying at the hotel. I strongly refute this and would like to state that it is next to impossible that they contracted malaria while at the hotel. The reasons for this are as follows:
First, since our opening, we have employed Dr. Soesilo Soerjosembodo, MPH, who was previously director of infectious diseases eradication at the Ministry of Health. Dr. Soesilo has been responsible for infectious disease control in Irian Jaya and Kalimantan as well as the coordinator for disease control in Irian Jaya and Kalimantan. Dr. Soesilo works at the hotel to ensure that our staff and guests are not likely to contract malaria.
Second, as people are the primary carriers of malaria we have ensured that there are no village settlements near or around the hotel area. In the nearest village, which is five kilometers away and where Dr. Soesilo works, we conduct weekly door-to-door house testing to detect any signs of malaria.
Third, in the hotel resort itself, we conduct daily pesticide and fog spraying to control other insects within the hotel.
Fourth, these efforts mean that the incidence of malaria within the hotel area is less than 0.09 percent Annual Parasite Index (API). Dr. Soesilo says that an API this low indicates that there is no public health problem associated with malaria in this area. Furthermore, Dr. Soesilo guarantees that since the hotel opened there have been no cases of malaria and neither are there ever expected to be.
As general manager of the hotel, I take the health and safety of my staff and guests very seriously indeed. I have lived here for nearly a year and another expatriate has lived here for over three years. Neither of us have ever contracted malaria.
However, we do consider ourselves blessed to be living in a place of such tranquility and beauty and warmly welcome any Jakartans who need a break to come and experience the beauty, tranquility and safety of Tanjung Lesung Resort Hotel for themselves.
MARK REES
General Manager
Tanjung Lesung Resort Hotel
West Java