GOVERNMENT ADOPTS MEASURES TO TACKLE MEASLES OUTBREAK, MALNUTRITION IN ASMAT by Fardah

  Jakarta, Jan 19, 2018 (Antara) - News on the measles epidemic and malnutrition plaguing Asmat District's remote areas in Papua has saddened the nation, as they have claimed the lives of 61 children, mostly under five years of age.

         According to the Provincial Health Office of Papua, Indonesia's easternmost province, 558 measles cases were reported in eight sub-districts in Asmat, which is not easy to access due to the difficult terrain, since September 2017.

        From January 1 to January 11, 2018, as many as 29 people were hospitalized, and 34 outpatients were reported due to measles. Two inpatients, five outpatients, and one patient died due to malnutrition.

        After receiving information on the tragedy, President Joko Widodo has instructed every stakeholder to deploy all available resources to tackle the measles outbreak and undernourishment.

        The government has launched integrated efforts by establishing coordination among the health ministry, police, military, social affairs ministry, and the private sector to tackle the extraordinary situation in Asmat, according to Health Minister Nila Moeloek.

         The ministries, Indonesian Police, and Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) have sent doctors, medicines, vaccines, paramedics, and food to Asmat, with the support of state-owned companies, such as state oil and gas company PT Pertamina, BRI, and Bank Papua.

        The health ministry has dispatched at least 39 health personnel, including specialists, general practitioners, three surgical nurses, and environmental health and surveillance specialists, Oscar Primadi, spokesman of the ministry, had remarked in Jakarta on Jan 16.

         Specialist doctors sent to Asmat comprised surgeons, a dermatologist, genital specialists, an anesthetist, obstetricians, a clinical nutritionist, three pediatricians, and three internists.

       The ministry has also sent drug logistics comprising 1,100 vials of measles vaccine, three tons of supplementary food, and two thousand disinfectant tablets to kill bacteria to obtain clean water, among other things.

        The Papua health office has also sent a 20-member medical team comprising doctors, nurses, and immunization paramedics, as well as officers in charge of the Papua Medical Development Acceleration Unit.

        Meanwhile, Marshall Hadi Tjahjanto, the new chief of TNI, has established a medical task force to assist the health ministry to fight the measles outbreak.

        The military has deployed 53 medical personnel to Asmat on Jan 16. They comprised medical personnel from the TNI and Army health center as well as the Navy and Air Force health service.

        The team has also brought along medical tools and vaccines for diphtheria and measles.

        The TNI has also brought along 11,100 instant food packages to be distributed to the people of Asmat.

        On Jan 17, the TNI had deployed two helicopters to transport 800 kilograms of medicines and two additional doctors.

        Bolco HS 7148 and Bell HA-5178 helicopters departed from the Mozes Kilangin Airport, Timika Sub-district, Mimika District, for Agats, the capital of Asmat District, Lt Col. Windarto, commander of the 1719 Mimika military district command, remarked.

        The TNI headquarters also deployed a boat to carry medicines and 50 beds to treat the sick children in Asmat.

        In addition to the TNI, the Papua Provincial Police have provided free medical care as part of the police's civic mission in Atsj Sub-district, Asmat District.

       Inspect General Boy Rafli, chief of the Papua Police, led the civic mission activity held at the Atsj community health center, on Jan 18. In addition to the Atsj community health center, free medical care is being provided at other clinics.

        The Papua Police will carry out the civic mission activity indefinitely in Asmat in line with the need, according to Rafli.

         A total of 236 children have been infected with measles and 17 others are poorly nourished in Asmat, Ambrosius Oktan, a paramedic at the Atsj community health center, stated.

        Senior Commissioner A.M. Kamal, a spokesman of the Papua Provincial Police, noted that the Papua Police, Military, and the Papua medical team have set up an integrated task force to tackle the measles outbreak.

       The social affairs ministry has sent 16 thousand packages of canned food, valued at Rp725 million, three tons of rice, 200 blankets, 200 mattresses, two family tents, and 50 food items, on Jan 14, 2018.

        Several people living in Agats, the capital of Asmat, have received assistance through the Family Hope Program and rice social assistance programs since 2016. In Agats, as many as 371 families receive social allowance provided by the central government.

          Furthermore, the ministry has provided funds worth Rp3.1 billion to provide assistance to the remote indigenous community. The forms of assistance provided comprise social settlement, life insurance, seedling assistance, work equipment, and household appliances.

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(T.F001/A/BESSR/A. Abdussalam) 19-01-2018