Supari: Disasters often cause health crisis

Via Antara: Minister: disasters often cause health crisis.

Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari said floods, droughts, landslides, whirlwinds, volcanic eruptions and tsunmis often caused health crisis, so that all elements of the nation need to be more involved in handling these disasters.

"We ask all parties involved in the handling of disaster-related health crisis," the minister said when installing around 4,500 officials of a disaster task force at a [meeting] in Semarang, Central Java on Thursday.

Disasters could trigger a health crisis, such as huge number of victims, refugees, lack of drinking water, affected sanitation, infectious diseases, poor health services and post traumatic stress.

In 2006, there were 162 disasters and 205 in 2007. The empowering of the youngster to be ready for emergence assistance still needed the support from all elements in the community.

Younsters are the only potential elements in the community to play an active role in the handling of disasters, especially in giving a hand to the needy during a disaster.

The health minister often monitored natural disasters which also triggered health problems, so that giving quick, proper and efficient assistance is the right step.

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