T

he World Health Organization (WHO) has obtained permission from the Health Ministry to investigate the side-effects experienced by hundreds of residents in Bandung regency, West Java, after taking anti-filariasis drugs during a campaign in endemic areas.

Rustam Efendi, head of the intensive care unit at the Ebah Hospital in Bandung's Majalaya district, said the team from WHO and the Health Ministry came to the hospital on Wednesday to seek facts and had taken blood samples of patients.

The hospital has admitted around 380 patients over the past three days since Tuesday, with a third of them still being observed and treated.

"Preliminary blood tests showed no allergic reaction in the blood. The patients have mostly complained about headaches, felt nauseated, sores in the legs and vomiting," Rustam said Thursday.

The blood tests, according to him, could be deceptive because most of the patients who experienced extreme side-effects were likely suffering from other diseases, such as liver, lungs, heart and hypertension which actually are not directly related to the anti-filariasis drugs.

West Java health office head Alma Lusyati supported the investigation.

"We warmly greet the probe in order to clarify the issue. We have informed the public that the drugs should not be taken by children below two years old and those suffering from heart and liver diseases, hypertension and pregnant mothers," she told reporters after a Health Day event at the Bio Farma vaccine plant in Bandung on Thursday.

Alma said clinical proof was required to mitigate public anxiety because the anti-filariasis medication program would take place for five months consecutively so as to rid West Java of the disease.

More and more residents have questioned the side-effects from taking the anti-filariasis drugs, in the shape of diethyl carbamazine citrate, albendazole and paracetamol tablets, distributed free by the Health Ministry in a mass anti-filariasis medication program for 32 million people across Indonesia.

A neighborhood chief unit in Bojongsoang district, Bandung regency, Deden Sambas, said he had difficulties explaining to residents about the death of Ahmad Yunan, 46, who was strongly believed to have died from the effects of the drugs on Wednesday at 2 p.m.