Elly Burhaini Faizal, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Jakarta | Mon, January 21 2013, 2:57 PM
Health Minister Nafsiah Mboi underlined on Monday the importance of greater attention to flood victims, especially women and children coping with the current hardship in Jakarta.
"Crowded and unhygienic living conditions in temporary accommodation centers, made worse by the lack of clean water, raises fears of illnesses with children being at particular risk," said Nafsiah in a visit to one of the accommodation centers at Koinonia Church in Jatinegara, East Jakarta.
Hundreds of people have taken refuge at the church following the devastating flooding sparked by last week’s heavy rains. Most of the refugees come from Bukit Duri and Kebon Pala subdistricts in Jatinegara, East Jakarta.
“To prevent water-borne diseases, we continue to provide medical supplies at the health posts,” said Nafsiah, adding that skin rashes were one of the health problems that occurred most often in refugees in the shelter.
During the visit the Health Minister handed over 1,850 individual kits, comprising 1,400 hygienic kits for women; 150 maternity-care kits for pregnant women; 150 delivery kits for women due to give birth at the shelters; and 150 kits for babies aged under one year.
The Health Ministry’s head of health crisis center Sri Henni Setiawati said the kits were distributed to women and children in inundated locations in four areas: Central Jakarta, East Jakarta, South Jakarta and West Jakarta. “We will also immediately distribute aid to flood victims in North Jakarta,” she said.
The Health Ministry has established 98 health posts and four field hospitals to expand its efforts to provide relief for the flood victims.