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Measles outbreak hits Orang Rimba tribe
A measles outbreak has spread to two groups of the Orang Rimba tribe in Sarolangun regency, Jambi, who have been out of reach of the national vaccination program.
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A family of the Orang Rimba tribe lives in a flimsy hut deep in the jungle of Jambi. The Indigenous People’s Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN) said indigenous people in the country had often suffered discrimination and human rights violations by the government, especially regarding land disputes.
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(thejakartapost.com/Iman D.Nugroho)
A measles outbreak has spread to two groups of the Orang Rimba tribe in Sarolangun regency, Jambi, who have been out of reach of the national vaccination program.
Seven from the Terap group while four Sepintun members have been admitted to hospital, as their conditions have worsened.
“They are already in a very serious condition so we took them to hospital. We have also quarantined those who are already suffering the early stages [of measles] from the rest of the group,” said a health facilitator from the Indonesian Conservation Community (KKI) Warsi, Yomi Rivandi, said on Wednesday.
Those who are currently at the hospital consist of adults and children, aged four to 41 years old. One patient was also found to have been suffering from pneumonia.
Yomi said the tribesmen are prone to measles as they have yet to be part of the nationwide compulsory vaccination program.
“The Orang Rimba haven’t received vaccinations. Coupled with other diseases, the disease [measles] can lead to death,” he said, urging health officials at the local administration to visit the people and contain the outbreak.
Death continues to haunt the nomadic tribe as many members are still facing food shortages and poor health.
In 2015, 30 members of the tribe had been admitted to hospital for suffering pneumonia. Most of them were children. (wit)
