The Government responded quickly responding to the Outbreak of Malnutrition and Measles in Asmat
CIDISS. As a rapid response to the Malnutrition (KLB) malnutrition and measles in Asmat District, Papua, the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) RI collected 39 health workers. They will then perform treatment and immunization to address these health problems.
Head of Public Relations and Communications Bureau of the Ministry of Health RI, Oscar Primadi said that the delivery of health workers from the center (Kemenkes) is important because the outbreak of malnutrition and measles need to be addressed with sufficient human resources (HR).
According to drg.Oscar, Head of Bureau of Communications and Public Service of the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Health expects health workers as many as 39 people to the Asmat District to overcome the outbreak of malnutrition and measles and malnutrition gradually.
The health workers sent there, Oscar added, will be divided into two teams, the primary health care team that will be sent to the Sawa Erma District, Kolf Braza and Pulau Tiga. There is also a referral health service team, health workers will be sent to RSUD Agats.
Of the 39 health workers, 11 of them are specialist doctors, namely 1 surgeon, genital specialist, anesthesiologist, obgyn specialist, and clinical nutrition specialist, 3 pediatricians, 3 specialists in internal medicine, and 4 general practitioners. There are also 3 surgical nurses and 2 anesthesiologists. Other health workers, namely nutrition workers, environmental health workers, and surveillance who perform activities with assigned tasks.
All health workers are on duty to serve general medicine, health screening in the form of nutritional status of children and toddlers, and blood pressure checks. Health promotion is also done in the form of counseling, education, and socialization, especially related to maintaining personal health.
In addition to the delivery of health personnel, immunization of measles is also done. Regarding the availability of vaccines, each Puskesmas has been delivering and each Puskesmas already has a cold chain using solar power.
“On the president’s instruction, the TNI has sent a health task force to Asmat, in the field the health team sent by the Ministry of Health will work together and work hand in hand with the health task force that the TNI has sent in addressing the problem of malnutrition and measles in Asmat,” Oscar.
Previously, the local government (Pemda) formed 4 teams that immediately took to the field to conduct prevention and treatment and delivery of PMT. The teams are Disuatrik suator and kolf braza teams, Fayit and Aswi District teams, Pulau Tiga District team, and district team of Jetsy and Sirets District.
The case of measles in Asmat district can be a wake-up call for all components of the nation to cooperate in promoting and preventive efforts through the Healthy Living Community Movement (Germas). All local governments, let’s work together with local stakeholders, especially Puskesmas as well as mothers driving PKK into the spearhead (promoter) community movement in the community.
By: Ajeng Mufadillah *)
