Through The IAPF, Puan Said That The DPR And The African Parliament Agreed To Synergy In Fighting The Mpox

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani (Dok DPR Photo)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, stated that the Indonesian Parliament and Africa agreed to synergize to fight the monkey pox (Mpox) outbreak which is becoming a world concern. The agreement is also a conclusion in the Indonesia-Africa Parliamentary Forum (IAPF) held by the DPR RI.

"We agreed to fight Mpox, which is not only spread in Africa and Indonesia, but also in the world," said Puan after the IAPF conference held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Nusa Dua, Bali, Sunday, September 1.

The first woman to serve as Chair of the Indonesian House of Representatives emphasized that parliament can play a role in overcoming various global and regional issues with peaceful diplomacy. Including, said Puan, on the Mpox health issue that has been declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a state of emergency for global public health.

"Mpox spreads not only in Africa and Indonesia but also in the world," he said.

In an effort to reduce the spread of Mpox in the country, the Indonesian government has implemented several preventive measures, one of which is by conducting health checks at every international entrance.

The inspection includes installing a thermal scanner to detect passenger body temperature, especially those who have just arrived from abroad.

Through the IAPF, the DPR together with parliaments from African countries also agreed to encourage the governments of each country to take a series of anticipatory and mitigation measures to protect their people from Mpox.

Puan stated that she would ask the Indonesian government to cooperate with other countries, including Africa.

"We immediately ask the Government to immediately cooperate with other countries, not only Africa and Indonesia, but other countries that can maintain existing crossings that are considered to be able to distribute the virus concretely. Things like that we will do together," said Puan.

Even though the Government has reactivated the Electronic Surveillance Card or formerly known as Peduli Protect, Puan stated that the government must still carry out accurate health screening for every arrival from abroad.

"In Indonesia, we have concretely carried out health screening for every arrival and of course this should not be a new issue like yesterday's Covid," said the former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture.

Puan also asked the government to mitigate and anticipate the Mpox outbreak as agreed through the IAPF.

"Because this has started to happen, so we ask for concrete follow-up from the government to anticipate and mitigate. Earlier, African countries also agreed on this matter," explained Puan.

The latest data from Congo shows that about 70 percent of the 14,901 Mpox-infected patients are children under the age of 15. More than 321 children even died. WHO says children are at higher risk of developing Mpox in severe condition than adults.

In Indonesia itself, data from the Indonesian Ministry of Health (Kemenkes RI) reveals that there have been 88 cases of monkeypox or Mpox during 2022-2024. The details are 74 cases until 2023, and 14 cases in 2024.

Mpox has an incubation period of about 3 to 17 days. Also a number of symptoms that people can pay attention to, namely Ruam in the hands, legs, chest, face, or mouth or near the genitals, including penis, testes, labia, vagina, vagina, and anus, fever, cold heat, swelling lymph nodes, fatigue, muscle aches and back pain, headache and respiratory symptoms (for example sore throat, nasal congestion, or cough).

Regarding the handling of Mpox, the Speaker of the Zimbabwe Parliament, Jacob Mudenda, as a representative of the African parliament at the opening of the IAPF, asked for cooperation with Indonesia in overcoming the disease.

"From the implementation of health protocols to the procurement of vaccines," said Jacob Mudenda.