Diarrhea kills 12 in West Sulawesi

Andi Hajramurni ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Makassar   |  Sat, 11/15/2008 10:56 AM  |  The Archipelago

A diarrhea outbreak has killed 12 people in Polewali Mandar regency, West Sulawesi since October, with nearly 200 residents seeking treatment in hospitals and local Puskesmas (community health centers).

Polewali Mandar Health Agency head, Ahmad Azis, said Tuesday that out of more than 1500 residents who sought treatment, around 150 remain hospitalized due to the illness.

He said the outbreak was the worst in four years to hit Polewali Mandar, and had spread to the districts of Pambusuang, Mapilli, Batu Panga, Kanreapia and Pekkabata.

"Therefore we have classified the five districts under the 'extraordinary occurrence status', because the number of cases has doubled from last month, and the overall instance of diarrhea is far greater than last year," Azis told The Jakarta Post over the phone.

"But we have not yet reported the extraordinary occurrence status classification to the central government.

"The health agency and the regency administration have agreed to waive all costs for diarrhea patients seeking treatment at Puskesmas and hospitals."

The administration has set up command posts offering treatment and information at affected areas.

The outbreak occurred after floods inundated the area, forcing residents to rely on contaminated water for consumption and cleaning.

Reports from the area show that many residents in the flooded areas were not boiling their water adequately, or were simply consuming it directly from the contaminated sources.

"Such behavior, especially after the flood, is the main cause of the outbreak. We are worried that it will spread to other districts in the regency," said Azis.

As a preventive measure, the regency administration has equipped district, subdistrict and village heads with information on the importance of boiling water to kill bacteria, advice for keeping neighborhoods clean and methods for the early treatment of diarrhea.

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