E

ast Java will likely see more deaths as it lacks an adequate budget in its war against five major contagious diseases that have infected tens of thousands of people.

Head of the contagious diseases handling section at the East Java Health Agency, Anrasul Fahrudda, said that despite financial assistance from international agencies, the province had never received a special allocation from the state budget for the elimination of leprosy, TB, HIV/AIDS, dengue fever and malaria.

These five contagious diseases have caused the densely populated province to have some of the highest reported cases in the country.

"This fiscal year, the provincial administration has allocated Rp 250 million (US$21,400) to handle TB, Rp 200 million for malaria and Rp 1.3 billion for HIV/AIDS," Anrasul said.

He cited that leprosy was still prevalent in Madura, Lamongan, Kediri, Situbondo, Bondowoso, Jember, Probolinggo, Blitar and Pasuruan. TB was still found in all 38 regencies and municipalities, while malaria remained prevalent along the East Java southern coast, such as in Malang, Banyuwangi, Lumajang and Pacitan.

The province has the fourth most cases of these diseases nationally, after Papua, Jakarta and West Java, Anrasul said, adding that the allocated funds would not help much in handling patients with the five contagious diseases.

The agency's head of contagious disease control and health matters, Budi Rahaju, said the lack of political commitment to fight the contagious diseases was shown by the fact that there was still a high prevalence of leprosy among children under 15 in certain regencies.

"Leprosy prevalence has remained high. The rate is one per 10,000 residents. Between 11 and 13 percent of children under 15 in Madura, Jember, Lumajang, Probolinggo, Lamongan, Tuban and Kediri have recently tested positive for leprosy," she said.

She added the stigma imposed by society had also contributed to leprosy's high prevalence.

"People should not discriminate against leprosy, especially in workplaces, because the disease can be completely healed within nine months," she said.

"If sufferers visit the hospital regularly, they will get better gradually and will be free from the disease without transfering it to their relatives."

Rahaju said TB was also still found in Madura, Situbondo, Gresik and Lumajang, and that the provincial administration had maintained the presence of a specialized TB hospital in Lumajang.

"The provincial administration is still holding special training for health workers from all public health centers in the province to improve their ability to conduct microscopic examinations for TB," she said.

With HIV/AIDS, Rahaju said many deaths had recently occurred because people remained reluctant to take a voluntary HIV test, amid fears of social alienation and discrimination.

"HIV/AIDS is no longer an immediate death sentence, and even those in the early stages can live a long life and treat their illness with regular medication," she said.