Antara–28 Jan: An integrated health team has successfully served 117 villages spread in Asmat District, Papua province, to tackle malnutrition and the measles outbreak.
The team comprised elements from the Health Office of Papua Province, health team of the Indonesian National Army, and the Ministry of Health.
“The first wave of the integrated health team should have been withdrawn, as the team has successfully treated children with measles and malnutrition in 117 villages,” Yusuf Wona, a member of the integrated health team from the Health Office of Papua, stated when confirmed from Jayapura, Papua province, on Saturday.
The first wave of the integrated health team managed to suppress the spread of measles and malnutrition cases in 117 villages.
According to Wona, on Jan 23, the first team had conducted an evaluation and reported the results to the health task force from the Ministry of Health.
“The results of the evaluation data were submitted on the sidelines of the meeting to release the integrated health task force from the Ministry of Health,” Wona noted.
The integrated health task force comprised personnel from some hospitals in Jakarta, medical specialists, a joint health team of the Indonesian National Army and Navy, Indonesian Police, non-government organizations, such as Dompet Duafa, and some nurses.
The health task force will continue to offer health services that the first wave of the integrated health team had provided in 117 villages.
“Health services have been started since Thursday (Jan 26) for the next 10 days for rehabilitation, prevention, and treatment,” he remarked.
The Indonesian government has deployed various resources and taken utmost efforts to tackle the measles epidemic and malnutrition that have affected Asmat District since September 2017.
The epidemic is believed to have been caused by food shortage, poor environment, and lack of medical personnel and facilities in Asmat, which also has very difficult terrain.
Based on information received on Jan 25, a total of 12,398 children in Asmat have been offered medical check-ups and treatment.
Of the total children, 646 are confirmed to be infected with measles, 144 are undernourished, four are suffering from both measles and poor nutrition, and 25 others are suspected to have measles.
The children are residents of 117 kampongs in 23 sub-districts: Suator, Kolf Braza, Sirets, Fayit, Aswy, Tiga Isle, Akat, Agats, Jetsy, Kasuari Beach, Der Koumur, Auyu, Suru-suru, Unirsirauw, Sawaerma, Joerat, Ayip, Atsy, Betcbamu, Kopay, Safan, Joutu, and Koroway.
