Health Office And Practitioners In West Java Discuss Mysterious Hepatitis

Head of the West Java Provincial Health Office, Nina Susana Dewi/Photo: Antara

BANDUNG - The West Java Provincial Health Office together with the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI), hospital management, regional health laboratories, and the 27 district/city Health Offices discussed the emergence of a mysterious acute hepatitis disease that the WHO had declared as an extraordinary case.

West Java itself remains vigilant even though it has not found cases like in DKI Jakarta, where three suspected cases of acute hepatitis have been found.

Head of the West Java Provincial Health Office, Nina Susana Dewi, in a press statement at the West Java Provincial Communications and Information Office, Sunday, May 8, said that there were several initial anticipatory steps taken.

These steps include surveillance of one-stop reporting online via electronic mail whose addresses have been pocketed by each stakeholder, taking an inventory of the capabilities of Labkesda or hospitals in districts/cities for hepatitis diagnosis checks, increasing socialization, and communication-information-education (KIE), and intensifying the movement of healthy living community.

Furthermore, strengthening health service facilities ranging from health centers to hospitals, and hospitals doing settings for handling cases of acute hepatitis.

Nina hopes that through this fast movement, health care facilities anticipate and take preventive action through socialization by activating the community movement.

No less than 850 medical practitioners specifically discussed the emergence of this mysterious acute hepatitis in the online meeting.

Acting as a resource person from IDAI (Indonesian Pediatrician Association) dr Anggraini Sp AK. In addition to the Head of the West Java Health Office and staff, the Head of West Java Province Health Lab, Head of 27 City/Regency Health Office, Head of IDI (Indonesian Doctors Association), Head of IDAI, Head of KKP, and Head of City/Regency Labkesda were also present.

Previously, the Governor of West Java, Ridwan Kamil, emphasized that so far the disease had not been reported in West Java.

"In the regions, it has not been monitored much because there are cases in the world, in Jakarta there are and in West Java, there have not been significant reports," he said.

However, West Java will remain vigilant and educate residents, especially parents with children, to get used to healthy activities to avoid unwanted things.

Such as washing hands frequently, drinking clean and cooked water and food, using each utensil, wearing masks, and keeping a distance.

"We continue to educate residents, especially parents who have children in the COVID-19 pandemic, to be aware of a new situation related to hepatitis which has suddenly increased. The method is the same as the COVID-19 health protocol," he said.

The World Health Organization (WHO) received a report on 5 April 2022 from the United Kingdom regarding 10 cases of Acute hepatitis of unknown aetiology in children aged 11 months-5 years in the period January to March 2022 in Middle Scotland.

Since it was officially published as an Extraordinary Event (KLB) by WHO on April 15, 2022, the number of reports has continued to grow.

As of April 21, 2022, 169 cases were reported in 12 countries.

The range of cases occurred in children aged one month to 16 years. A total of 17 children of whom required liver transplantation, and 1 case was reported to have died.

Clinical symptoms in the identified cases were acute hepatitis with elevated liver enzymes, acute jaundice syndrome, and gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting and most cases did not have fever.

Ways to prevent children from acute hepatitis include regularly washing hands with soap, eating clean and cooked food, not sharing eating utensils with other people, avoiding contact with sick people, keeping the house and environment clean, reducing mobility, and using masks if necessary. travel, keep your distance and avoid crowds.