TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The health ministry has dispatched 39 health professionals from various fields to help the local government's health office handle the increase in the number of cases of malnutrition and measles in Asmat District, Papua Province.

"The Ministry of Health has readied professionals to strengthen the health service team there by sending 39 health workers," Head of the ministry's Public Relations and Communications Bureau Oscar Primadi noted during a press conference at the ministry's office in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The health professionals include 11 specialists, four general practitioners, three surgical nurses, two anesthesiologists, and 19 nutritionists as well as environmental health and surveillance specialists.

Specialist doctors who were sent to Asmat comprised surgeons, dermatologist, genital specialists, anesthetist, obstetricians, clinical nutritionist, three pediatricians, and three internists.

The ministry has also sent drug logistics including 1,100 vials of measles vaccine, three tons of supplementary food, and two thousand disinfectant tablets to kill bacteria to obtain clean water.

"The distribution of measles vaccine has begun in the sub-districts of Asmat District," Primadi noted.

He said the ministry has conducted the Outbreak Response Immunization for handling measles cases in Asmat District.

Supplementary feeding is intended to elevate the nutritional status of communities in Asmat District.

According to the Provincial Health Office of Papua, 558 measles cases were reported since September 2017.

Furthermore, the office recorded that from January 1 to January 11, 2018, as many as 29 people were hospitalized, and 34 outpatients were reported due to measles.

The ministry recorded two inpatients, five outpatients, and one patient who died due to malnutrition.

ANTARA