Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang
Tangerang health officials are on alert following a jump in the number of cases of acute respiratory infections in children in the regency this year.
"We have recorded a total of 5,764 children under five years of age who have contracted respiratory infections since January," Yuli Sunar Dewanti, head of communicable disease prevention at the agency, said Friday.
She said 1,883 of those cases had been recorded in just the past two months.
The total number of cases last year is 2,058.
Yuli said the figure was bound to increase should community health centers in the regency fail in their prevention efforts.
"We have instructed all 47 health centers in 36 districts to improve service and take preventive steps through early detection because respiratory infections are the number one killer for children under five in the regency."
She explained these airborne diseases could easily spread, especially during the transition from the dry to the rainy season.
The agency has also ordered each health center to disseminate information to residents on how to curb the spread of the diseases and to train volunteers in emergency response.
"We have also prepared medicines to be distributed to all health centers," Yuli said.
In response to agency instructions, Endang S. Sumarah, head of Pondok Aren's community health center, said she had already trained 11 volunteers for emergency response not only in anticipation of more respiratory infections but also for possible flooding.
"We have even formed an emergency post to help serve patients better."
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