Four die in Bima diarrhea epidemic

Panca Nugraha ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Mataram   |  Mon, 04/14/2008 11:52 AM  |  The Archipelago

At least four have died in an outbreak of diarrhea in Bima, West Nusa Tenggara, that has plagued the region and overburdened two medical centers over the last seven days.

The four, identified as Lola, 3, Nur Saidah, 11, Fatimah, 50, and Maesa, 9, died on Saturday after receiving several days of treatment at a public health center in Bima.

Head of the Bima health office Siti Hadjar Yoenoes said more than 540 patients, most under five years old, were undergoing intensive medical treatment at two public health centers in Sape and Lampu subdistricts.

"A state of emergency has been declared because the epidemic is spreading in the regency, and all patients will be treated free of charge and all clinics and hospitals are obliged to admit diarrhea patients," she said.

Siti said a recent study showed the epidemic had been caused by residents consuming unhygienic food and beverages, and by the regency's water supply, which was contaminated during the end of the recent rainy season.

"Ground wells and water pools in the regency were badly contaminated during the rainy season and, according to our survey, locals commonly consume unheated water," she said, adding that her office had already sent a sample of ground water to be examined by a health and food laboratory in Mataram.

The health office has begun mobilizing health workers from nearby subdistricts to assist the two public health centers, which are running short of supplies and nurses.

Adhar, a resident of Roi village in Sape, said he had brought his four-year-old daughter Hairunnisah to the public health center Saturday after she began showing symptoms of an intestinal disorder, including vomiting and diarrhea.

"Her condition is improving," he said.

Head of the handling and eradication of diseases office Benny Nugroho said Sunday his office had deployed a medical team with medical supplies to handle the epidemic and to prevent it from spreading to nearby regencies.

He said the epidemic was the area's fifth in the past five years, the most recent coming in 2005 when dozens of lives were claimed.

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