Tangerang's residents lack decent sanitation

Tangerang regency has developed into a robust industrial and trade zone with a substantial residential area, but 70 percent of its 3.4 million people have no proper access to sanitation, an official said Saturday.

Data at the regency's Health Agency showed at least five people were admitted to the Tangerang General Hospital every day with diarrhea because of poor sanitation.

"Poor environmental sanitation has repeatedly caused diarrhea outbreaks in five districts in the northern part of the regency such as Sepatan, Pakuhaji, Mauk, Kronjo and Kresek," Yuliah Iskandar, head of environmental sanitation and communicable disease prevention at the agency told The Jakarta Post.

She said just 30 percent of residents in the regency had proper sanitation facilities including bathrooms and toilets in their houses.

The rest used dirty water from polluted rivers and creeks for daily bathing and washing.

"The problem was not because residents could not build the required facility in their homes, but was part of an unhealthy lifestyle that had evolved in the city," she said.

"We have repeatedly delivered guidance to residents to make them aware of good sanitation and start implementing a healthy life style, but most of them still prefer to use empty land, rice fields and waterways for defecation," Yuliah said.

She said the administration had also built a number of wells and public toilets throughout many districts, but most residents were reluctant to use the facilities.

In 2005 and 2006, the administration declared two diarrhea outbreaks as "extraordinary cases". The outbreaks killed dozens of children across five districts.

Yuliah said the administration had built 60 public toilets for residents in the district this year and ring walls for residential wells adjacent to animal cages.

This year the number of diarrhea patients at Tangerang General Hospital had increased from nine in January to 120 by the end of February.

"The figure does not include many other patients being treated for this curable yet fatal disease at many other health clinics and hospitals across the regency," Yuliah said.

The administration said it has formed a team to conduct surveillance, communicate the importance of hygiene and distribute diarrhea medicine.

The 2007-2008 human development report by the United Nations Development Programs (UNDP) said 55 percent of Indonesia's population was using improved sanitation in 2004, higher than 46 percent in 1990.

In 2004 some 77 percent of the population was using improved water sources, up from 72 percent in 1990.

The republic is ranked lower than Vietnam, which had 61 percent of its population using improved sanitation, a significant increase from 36 percent in 1990.

Vietnam also had 85 percent of its population accessing improved water sources in 2004, up from 65 percent in 1990. Multa Fidrus  

Post Date : 03 Maret 2008