The Jakarta Post, March 30, 2005
Diarrhea kills 23 in Maluku
AMBON, Maluku: At least 23 toddlers have died from diarrhea in the past month in
Ambalau district, Buru regency, Maluku.
The chief of Ambalau district, Ruslan Makatita, blamed the large number of deaths on
a shortage of medical professionals in the area. There are only two nurses for
thousands of people in the district, said Ruslan on Tuesday.
He said he had filed a report with the Buru regency government asking for help dealing
with the outbreak.
The deputy head of the Maluku provincial health office, Fenno Tahalele, confirmed the
outbreak of diarrhea but gave a lower fatality figure.
Fenno said that according to a report from the Maluku provincial administration
secretary, five toddlers had died in Ambalau, not 23. -- JP
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