WHO praises government measures on SARS

WHO praises government measures on SARS

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Despite public criticism, the government has received praise from
World Health Organization (WHO) for its measures to cope with
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in the country.

"I know that health officials here have been doing a lot these
weeks and I think the government has been delivering the measures
well," WHO technical advisor on SARS in Indonesia, Steve Bjorg,
told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

On Friday, the verification team at the Ministry of Health
announced that Indonesia recorded one probable case of SARS. This
is the first probable case identified since WHO declared the
disease a global threat last month. Indonesia declared the
disease a national threat on April 3 and imposed Law No. 4/1984
on epidemics, which allows the government to take necessary
measures to tackle the spread of the pneumonia-type virus.

There have been 3,234 cases of SARS around the globe. A total
of 123 people have died, mainly in China, Hong Kong, Vietnam,
Singapore and Canada.

Bjorg said that the latest finding of a probable SARS case in
Indonesia should raise everyone's concern about SARS and would
prompt the government to heighten its measures.

"We will also continue with our precautionary measures," he
said.

He said, however, the SARS outbreak had sparked excessive
responses from some people as indicated by the panic buying of
masks. The prices of masks has skyrocketed due to the ballooning
demand.

"Well, I myself am not planning to wear a mask, unless I go to
places I think would likely be SARS-affected such as hospitals,"
he said.

He said that WHO-recommended the wearing of N-95 masks for
SARS patients, health care workers who were taking care SARS
patients and family members who had close contact with them.

"As for the general public, I don't think it's necessary for
them to wear masks," he said.

Although the concern is understandable, the general public are
not required to wear masks, he said.

"It takes more than just a mask to protect ourselves from the
virus."

The government has repeatedly called on the public to stay
calm in responding to the epidemic. It has also imported one
million surgical masks from China to be given to patients and
their families. The masks are expected to arrive next week.

Criticism of the public's overreaction also came from
physician Hendrawan Nadesul.

"I know that some schools here are requiring the students to
wear masks. And some members of the public are frantically buying
masks. I don't think that's necessary," he told a seminar on SARS
held by Senior health tabloid here on Saturday.

"To protect ourselves against SARS we have to maintain
physical fitness, follow a healthy lifestyle, wear a mask when
necessary and avoid hospitals," he said.

"The Ministry of Health has to draw up guidelines on SARS for
the public. For example, a guide for when and where should one
should wear a mask and what type of mask is required in certain
situations and places," he said.

He suggested that the information should be distributed widely
in a brochure form.

An Indonesian activist with a Hong Kong-based non-governmental
organization, Nurul Qoiriah, shared with the Post Hong Kong's
experience in tackling SARS.

"The Hong Kong administration has distributed SARS pamphlets
to people everywhere, in several languages, such as Thai and
Indonesian for migrant workers there," she said.

"Thanks to the pamphlet I received, I know many things about
SARS so I never panic," she said.