Jakarta - South Jakarta City Council will shortly relocate poultry slaughterhouses. The government sets the deadline on April 24, 2010. The policy aims to prevent the spread of bird flu virus.

The slaughterhouses, which are now scattered around South Jakarta, will be moved to Rawa Kepiting, Pulogading, Cakung, Srengseng Raya and Petukangan Utara.

South Jakarta Animal Husbandry and Fishery Sub Agency Chief Chaidir Taufik said the decision is based on Jakarta Governor Decree No 1692 / 2009.

There are about 90 chicken slaughterhouses and shelters in South Jakarta. Most of them are located in Kebayoran Lama.

“It doesn’t include the unregistered ones,” Taufik said, referring to slaughterhouses at marketplaces.

Another government’s attempt to fight against the bird flu virus is by intensifying the scan on poultry-transporting vehicles entering Jakarta. The program is called Operation Healthy Poultry Transportation.

The operation was conducted because there have been a lot of undetected poultry transportations in Jakarta which might carry possible diseases.

Various policies regarding bird flu prevention have been implemented in order to prevent bird flu cases from occurring in South Jakarta. In 2009, 11 South Jakarta residents became bird flu suspects.

On January 20, 2010, another suspect was found in Pengadegan, South Jakarta. The suspect is now being nursed at Sulianti Soeroso Hospital in North Jakarta.

South Jakarta Health Agency Head Togi Asman said collaboration with the Animal Husbandry and Fishery Agency was also established to provide disinfectants for houses.

He also said there have been enough human resources to prevent the virus spread, especially because people’s awareness towards the disease has been increasing.