The Ministry of Health will expand the examination if a monkeypox case is detected in Indonesia

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Ministry of Health (Ministry of Health) will expand research and case detection monkey pox (monkey pox) in the laboratory if the case of a disease classified as zoonotic is detected in Indonesia.

As for now, monkeypox has not been found in Indonesia. A total of 15 people who were previously suspected of monkeypox were declared negative after research and PCR were carried out.

“If there are many cases, it will be expanded. Because our PCR is all over Indonesia. We just need to add reagents,” said Director General of Disease Prevention and Control (P2P) of the Ministry of Health Maxi Rein Rondonuwu at the Ministry of Health Building, Jakarta, Monday (8/8/2022) .

Also read: 5 Symptoms of Monkeypox in Children, Parents Need to Know

So far, Maxi said, the Ministry of Health has added examination and research laboratories to 10 laboratories. The lab is used to examine samples of lesions and rashes on the skin, including detecting viruses.

Previously, there were only 2 research laboratories, namely the Infectious Disease Research Laboratory, Prof. Dr. Sri Oemijati BKPK of the Ministry of Health and at the IPB Primate Animal Study Center, Bogor.

“There are laboratories in Medan, Palembang, Kalimantan, Banjarmasin, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Ambon, Manado, and in Makassar there are also. They are ready to be used,” he explained.

Also read: No Cases yet, Karawang Health Office Reminds Prokes to Prevent Monkeypox Virus

Maxi said several laboratories that had been prepared would focus on international arrivals to detect virus transfers from abroad.

“We consider the priority which has a lot of international entrances, we also have Bali. Jakarta too. Then the laboratory in Manado (for arrivals) from Singapore directly,” he said.

For information, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Saturday (23/7/2022) stated that the monkeypox outbreak was categorized as a global health emergency.

Also read: Ministry of Health Ensures Monkeypox Cases Have Not Been Found in Indonesia

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the widespread outbreak of monkeypox in more than 70 countries was an extraordinary situation that now qualifies as a global emergency.

This global health emergency was designed by WHO to sound the alarm that a coordinated international response is needed and could unlock global funding and efforts to collaborate on sharing vaccines and treatments.

“We have an outbreak that has spread around the world rapidly through a new mode of transmission that we understand too little and that meets the criteria in international health regulations,” Tedros said.

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