INDONESIA DETERMINED TO ERADICATE SNAIL FEVER BY 2019

by Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Jan 18 (Antara) - Indonesia is the only country in Southeast Asia, which still has schistosomiasis problem and is resolved to totally eradicate the snail fever by 2019.         "In the acceleration phase, we have targeted to reduce the rate of incidence of the disease in humans, animals, and intermediary snails to zero percent by 2019," Health Minister Nila Moeloek stated, at the launch of Schistosomiasis Eradication Roadmap 2019-2025 at the Ministry of National Development Planning/National Development Agency, Jakarta, on Wednesday (Jan 17).         Schistosomiasis, also known as snail fever and bilharzia, is a disease caused by parasitic flatworms called schistosomes. The parasite may cause infection to the urinary tract or the intestines. Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloody stool, or blood in the urine.          Those who have been infected for a long time may experience liver damage, kidney failure, infertility, or bladder cancer, according to Wikipedia.          In children, it may cause poor growth and learning difficulty. The disease is spread through contact with freshwater contaminated with the parasites. These parasites are released from infected freshwater snails.