Following the increased number of cases of bird flu humans over the past two week, the Indonesian Doctor Association (IDI) has pleaded with the agriculture ministry to be more serious about controlling the virus.
IDI Chairman Dr Fachmi Idris said that bird flu cases need to be dealt with from the sources, namely poultry. The handling of the virus needs to include poultry surveillance, early detection, restructuring of poultry husbandry, affected poultry culls, compensation and poultry vaccination, which are the responsibilities of the agriculture ministry.
“Surveillances of poultry in resettlement areas must be intensified to prevent the virus from spreading to wider areas and affecting people. Appropriate compensation must be given as promised,” said the IDA in a statement.
Indonesia has recorded the highest bird flu cases in human beings with the number of cases reaching 77 and 61 deaths.
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