Balinese council members have recommended that the island build a dedicated hospital for tropical diseases, after the 2nd bird flu death in a week. Here’s more from the Jakarta Post.
Council recommends Bali needs a tropical disease hospital
DENPASAR (JP): Amidst the spread of avian influenza outbreaks in birds and recent deaths of two women of bird flu, the regional council said Thursday that Bali needed a hospital dedicated for tropical disease to make sure the island’s preparedness of a pandemic.
Bali Regional Council Commission IV head in charge of Health and Tourism affairs Ketut Kariyasa Adnyana said that the island-province needs a specialized hospital for bird flu patients.
“This will make it easier to treat bird flu patients,” he said.
Currently the island has three general hospitals –- Denpasar’s Sanglah Hospital, Gianyar regency’s Gianyar Hospital, and Tabanan regency’s Tabanan Hospital — as referrals for bird flu patients.
The Sanglah Hospital had treated six suspected bird flu patients in their tropical disease unit, of which two died of the virus. It has 14 isolated rooms with a capacity of 23 beds.
Bali has two confirmed deaths of bird flu, SW, a 29-year-old woman from Negara, Jembrana regency, and AS, a 28-year-old woman, from Kediri, Tabanan regency.
After the wake of human deaths of bird flu in the province, the Bali administration is allocating Rp 1.8 billion for Sanglah Hospital for bird flu treatment. The allocated budget would be spent to expand the hospital’s tropical disease unit.(Prodita Sabarini/**)
Personally I don’t think Bali is in any more danger of a pandemic than about 1000 other islands in this country. Its the economy they are trying to protect. Better than a hospital would be a nation-wide health awareness program, to teach people they can’t live too close to livestock. Human waste and animal feed have to be separate, the thing you wash you ass with should not be used for cooking food etc. With these kind thoughts we thank the Bali council for their concern.
