Post-Flood Disease Alert: ISPA and Muscle Stiffness Hantui Refugees in Pidie Jaya

The Pertamina Health Care Team, dr Irhas is providing health services (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - After the flash flood and landslide that hit Aceh, the next challenge comes from the health sector. In Pidie Jaya Regency, Acute Respiratory Tract Infection (ISPA) and muscle stiffness are now the most dominant health complaints of affected residents at the evacuation post.

Based on data from the Pertamina Health Care Post located at the At Taqwa Mosque complex, the intensity of dust and the conditions of the evacuation environment are the main triggers for the decline in the health of residents.

Dust Impact and Physical Fatigue

The Pertamina Health Care Team, dr. Irhas, explained that the transition from flood conditions to the cleaning stage of the house left behind dust residues that are dangerous for breathing.

"The complaints are caused by the environment which is still in the evacuation and the dust that appeared after the disaster," said dr. Irhas in Gampong Meunasah Balek, Pidie Jaya, Thursday (8/1).

In addition to ISPA, many residents complained of muscle stiffness. This is allegedly due to the extraordinary physical exhaustion when saving themselves or when starting to clean the mud material in their respective homes.

Children Vulnerable to Skin Fungal Infections

Children's age groups are also not spared from medical attention. The most common complaint in children in the refugee camp is itching or tinea pedis (foot fungus).

According to Dr. Irhas, this is triggered by the use of wet clothes for a long time and the sanitation conditions are not stable. "Children's complaints are itching caused by wet clothes. We continue to strive to provide maximum service," he added.

Since its establishment, this health post has served an average of 60 patients per day. However, the number of visits has begun to show a downward trend as children return to school and residents begin to focus on rearranging their homes.

More than Just Medicine: Education and Education

In addition to providing curative treatment in the form of medicines, the medical team also actively provides education on clean and healthy living patterns (PHBS) in the midst of an emergency. Hopefully, residents can carry out self-prevention so that the disease does not spread massively in the refugee area.

Not only the health sector, the steps of concern also penetrate the education sector. Pertamina Patra Niaga Regional Sumbagut also established two additional posts which functioned as:

Emergency school.

Temporary boarding school.

This facility aims to ensure that children in Pidie Jaya continue to have access to education and psychosocial support even though their original school facilities may be affected by the disaster.