Posted on August 14, 2012, Tuesday
BINTULU: Bintulu District is now declared cholera-free, thanks to the cooperation of the public and the various agencies in helping to contain the disease for the past one month since July 14.
In announcing this yesterday during a press conference at Bintulu Divisional Health Office, Bintulu Deputy Resident (Social) Richard Michael Abunawas said it was timely in view of the coming Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
He, however, cautioned the public to continue to take strict precautions, like observing good personal hygiene and keeping their surroundings clean to prevent the disease from reoccurring.
With the declaration, he said: “We also would like to inform that the Ramadan bazaars which were closed temporarily from August 10 will be reopened. However, traders are strongly advised not to take cleanliness for granted,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bintulu divisional health officer Dr Azlee Ayub stressed that although no new cases were detected, the department was still wary of the occurrence of diarrhoea.
On the Ramadan bazaars, he said their medical team would continue to work closely with the local authority to monitor them and other food outlets.
Recently, Assistant Public Health Minister Dr Jerip Susil said the possibility of a cholera outbreak in Bintulu would always be an arm’s length away because of the ‘jamban gantung’ (hanging latrines) of almost every single house along the river.
Such unsystematic way of disposing human waste, he said, was a time bomb of sorts for the recurrence of a cholera outbreak.
“The local authority must find concrete ways to resolve this matter. This is because the water source is not only used by animals and humans, but it is also a place where children play and bathe, and where women do their laundry and wash dishes, especially in some longhouses,” Dr Jerip told the media during his visit to Bintulu recently.
Meanwhile, Dr Azlee said the Health Department would supply the 16-door Rh Robert in Sebauh with materials worth RM4,000 to build proper toilets.
“As we all know, proper personal hygiene and sanitation is vital especially when it involves the river which had initially triggered the first infection of cholera here,” he added.
He advised other longhouses or villages to apply for the assistance from the Ministry of Rural and Regional Development.
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