Students demonstration called themselves Health Care Team of Papua Jungle in front of Papua Provincial Health Department office, Jayapura, Papua, Wednesday (29/03/2017) – Jubi/Benny Mawel
Jayapura, Jubi – Student’s movement that called themselves Health Care Team of Papua Jungle said there were 64 people of Koroway in Seradala District, Yahukimo Regency, Papua Province died for inadequate health care.
“They died as a result of no health care services between 2011-2017 in the village of Ayak, Brukmakot and Woma,” said Soleman Itlay, secretary of the team in a speech in front of their demonstration at the Provincial Health Department of Papua, Jayapura, Wednesday (29/03/2017).
According to Itlay there were 18 women, 46 men who died, and among them seven were babies, one child, five teens, and the rest were adults. “These does not include other villages or Koroway entirely.”
Doctors Silvanus Sumule, Secretary of the Papua Provincial Health Department, said the office could not confirm the death rate of Koroway people. Because reports from district health office that oversees Koroway region has not provides any detailed data.
“There was a report but did not mention Koroway specifically. Only the district,” he said to the Health Care Team of Papua Jungle.
While the Head of Papua Provincial Health Department Drg. Aloysius Giyai promised to send the Bare Feet or Floating Task Force (Task Force) in May 2017 to serve the territories of Koroway addressing health issues in the region.
“But before that there will be an emergency response team form by the department in April, after receiving their report and then I will send down a team of Bare Feet Task Force on duty there. And they will be contracted for two years,” Giyai told reporters in Jayapura, Thursday (30/3).(*)
Report contributors: Benny Mawel and Roy Ratumakin
Editor: Zely Ariane
