INDONESIA TIGHTENS SUPERVISION OF EBOLA VIRUS

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Aug 19 (Antara) - Although it sees little possibility of the Ebola virus spreading through Indonesia, the country remains cautious and has alerted its citizens, particularly those working overseas, to remain vigilant and avoid contracting this deadly disease.          The Indonesian Health Ministry has said it will continue to take steps to prevent the spread of the Ebola infection, which has broken out in a number of African countries, though there is little possibility it could reach Indonesia.           "The possibility of the virus spreading in Indonesia is small because we have no direct flights with Central and Western African countries where the virus infection has broken out.  The World Health Organization (WHO) has placed these countries under its supervision," Acting Director General for Disease Control and Sanitation of the Health Ministry Agus Purwadianto said in Jakrata on Friday.          As an anticipatory step, the Health Ministry has assigned 100 hospitals to handle Ebola virus victims if the disease is discovered among Indonesian citizens.          The 100 hospitals had been earlier designated to treat bird flu victims, who contracted the Avian influenza during the outbreak in Indonesia several years ago.            "All reference hospitals assigned for handling bird flu victims in the past have been prepared again in all provinces, such as RS Persahabatan hospital and RSPI (Sulianti Saroso) hospital in Jakarta," Health Minister  Nafsiah Mboi said on Monday.          Regarding the spread of the Ebola virus in the African countries of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, the WHO has declared that the outbreak of the disease is a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).          Thus, all countries are asked to increase monitoring for the virus, which could be communicated through bodily fluids.          Therefore, the Indonesian National Agency for Placement and Protection of Indonesian Workers Overseas (BNP2TKI) has warned Indonesian workers abroad, particularly those working in the Middle East, against possible contraction of the virus.          "We consider the Ebola virus issue to be a serious problem that needs a serious response, as well.  We have to take anticipatory steps in order to prevent Indonesian migrant workers abroad from being infected with the disease," BNP2TKI Public Relations Head Haryanto said.          He added that no Indonesian workers in the Middle East have been infected with the Ebola virus, but the BNP2TKI must continue monitoring the spread of the virus.          "We have paid special attention to this issue," Haryanto said. He added that since the emergence of the Ebola virus, which had drawn the world's attention, the BNP2TKI has worked hand in hand with the Health Ministry to provide information about the virus before Indonesian migrant workers leave for overseas jobs.          He said a patient who has contracted the virus could suffer from fever, throat ache, vomiting, diarrhea, reddish skin, muscle pain, headache, and damage to kidneys and livers.          "We ask Indonesian migrant workers to see this issue as a serious matter, so that they would remain vigilant," the BNP2TKI head said.          He noted that the disease, detected for the first time in 1976 and known as Ebola dengue fever, was a deadly disease for its victims.  The virus was detected in remote areas in Central and Western African countries.          "Ebola is communicated through wild animals and then spread to human being and then from man to man," he said.          The virus infection now is breaking out in the three African countries of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, where more than 2,000 people have been infected, of whom more than 1,000 have died.          Besides its migrant workers, Indonesia's other concern is for its hajj pilgrims, who will conduct their pilgrimage next month, since the number of hajj pilgrims from Africa is relatively large.          "Actually, Saudi Arabia has tightened the issuance of visas for hajj and minor hajj pilgrimages to the Holy Land for pilgrims coming from Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia," remarked Health Minister Nafisah Mboi.          For Indonesian hajj pilgrims, the Health Ministry has provided information and conducted education about the Ebola virus and Middle East respiratory syndrome corona virus (MERS-CoV) for pilgrims.          Although Indonesia is considered to have a minimal risk of seeing the spread of the virus, the Health Ministry is carrying out monitoring to prevent the virus entering the country.          "We continue to monitor people traveling to those countries. But now, visits to those countries have been stopped. In the meantime, we have also tightened the issuance of visas for people coming from African countries," the minister added.          She noted that one of the ways to prevent infection is to avoid direct contact with carriers, because the disease is communicated through body fluids such as saliva, blood, urine and other body secretions.          In the meantime, the personnel of two police contingents deployed to Sudan for UN peacekeeping missions were vaccinated against the Ebola virus to prevent them from being infected during their assignment in the African country.          National Police Chief General Sutarman stated that the National Police had vaccinated the soldiers. "We gave them vaccinations to prevent them from contracting a disease there," General Sutarman noted on Friday, Aug 8.          The two contingents make up the Indonesian Individual Police Officers (IPO) team of the United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and the IPO team of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).          Deputy Minister for Health, Population and Family Planning Tubagus Rachmat Sentika said earlier that the Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare, Agung Laksono, has called on Indonesians to increase awareness of the MERS-CoV and Ebola viruses.          "The minister wants the people to be concerned about the spread of these viruses, especially during Hajj season," Sentika said.          Santika noted that the government is currently taking various steps in anticipation of the MERS-CoV and Ebola spreading in Indonesia. Among the policies implemented by the government are warning Indonesians wishing to travel abroad and tightening the visa application process for people traveling from countries with Ebola outbreaks.          The government has also activated early detection and fast-response mechanisms in hospitals, community health centers, and laboratories, he said.***3*** (T.A014/INE/a014) (T.A014/A/BESSR/A. Abdussalam) 19-08-2014 20:55: