Worm related disease
I read with interest the article about worm related diseases, in The Jakarta Post on Oct. 18, 1994.
To discuss these diseases in a seminar, in Jakarta, hopefully will trigger the interests of various parties in fighting these diseases more intensively.
The efforts to eradicate worm related diseases were started in the 1930s, in the Banyumas regency, Central Java, with aid from the Rockefeller Foundation, under the auspices of Dr. Heidrich.
After more than 40 years, worm related diseases became a big problem in Indonesia. The data prepared by the Perkumpulan Pemberantasan Penyakit Parasit Indonesia (P4I-Indonesian Parasite Control Association) stated, in 1992, intestinal worm infections had a very high reading, with a prevalence of round worms at 70- 90 percent, whip worms 80-95 percent, and hookworm 30-59 percent. This means that during more than sixty years, the deworming campaign has virtually made no progress.
Massive deworming programs will incur great expense, where as government funds are terribly limited. AIDS control programs are given higher priority and, therefore, the active role of society in deworming activities is highly desirable.
In Jakarta, the elementary schools have participated in deworming programs since 1987, with parents contributing Rp 1000 per pupil annually. The money is used for financing a series of campaigning activities to benefit the pupils, teachers as well as parents, and laboratory examinations (twice a year) and treatment for worm infected pupils. Through continued and regularly programmed education and campaigning activities, coupled with periodic examinations and treatment of the disease, the prevalence of worm infections among school children has declined from 78.6 percent to 42.8 percent, and in some locations the prevalence of the disease goes down to below 30 percent.
It is heartening to learn that prevalence of worm infections continue to decrease although sanitation is still relatively poor. This demonstrates that integrated and continual health education has resulted in the growing awareness of the importance of maintaining a sanitary environment among school children.
Regions all over the country should also make similar efforts towards solving the problems of worm infections.
ADI SASONGKO
Kusuma Buana Foundation
Jakarta