Prevent Nipah Virus, DPR asks the Government to Launch a Digital Health Protocol Campaign

Member of Commission IX of the House of Representatives, Neng Eem Marhamah Zulfa, asked the government to launch a digital health protocol campaign that focuses on the prevention of zoonosis (transmission from animals to humans).

He assessed that this step was urgent following the emergence of a global threat of the Nipah virus which is transmitted through animals such as bats and pigs.

"The future health challenges are largely sourced from zoonoses such as the Nipah virus. The government must use digital platforms massively to educate the public about how protocols interact with animals and maintain food hygiene so that it is not contaminated," Neng Eem told reporters, Friday, January 30.

The legislator from the West Java District also proposed that the relevant ministries produce creative educational content that is easy to understand, especially regarding how to wash fruit properly and avoid direct contact with the body fluids of wild animals. Neng Eem hopes that this campaign will be able to reach even the most remote areas through social media and public communication networks.

"Health protocols must evolve. People need to know that maintaining food hygiene, such as washing fruit that may have been exposed to bat saliva, is part of our current national health defense," he said.

In addition, Neng Eem emphasized the importance of collaboration between human health experts and animal health experts (One Health approach) in drafting the campaign narrative. This is aimed at ensuring that the information that reaches the public is accurate and science-based, but remains simple.

"We have to be proactive. Smart and targeted digital campaigns will build public awareness without triggering panic. The goal is to build community independence in applying prokes consciously as a new lifestyle," explained Neng Eem.

Neng Eem also hopes that through the strengthening of digital literacy, the chain of transmission of zoonotic diseases can be broken at the household level, as well as supporting the strict screening efforts that are being carried out by the government at the country's entry points.

"Community literacy regarding the risk of zoonotic diseases still needs to be improved so that health protocols are not only seen as prevention between humans, but also interactions with the environment and animals," he concluded.