DENPASAR, Bali (BPN) – The Indonesian Hindu Coordination Center (Puskor Hindunesia) together with several community elements, visited Bali’s Health Office (Dinkes) to reject the program to release Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes onto the island.
“Our visit here aims to express our aspirations, rejecting the continuation of the Wolbachia-carrying mosquito program because it brings harm rather than benefits,” said Dewa Putu Alit Sudarsana, PR of Puskor Hindunesia on Tuesday (Nov 14).
He urged the Bali Health Office to issue a written statement regarding the program’s rejection.
“There were statements from the Mayor of Denpasar and the Acting Bali Governor regarding the rejection of this program and we demanded that Dinkes Bali issue a written statement to calm the situation down, to avoid dualism (opinion) in society,” he said.
Alit Sudarsana explained that the Acting Bali Governor, Sang Made Mahendra Jaya, has rejected the program until further in-depth research and journals of the Wolbhacia program are available.
According to him, if the program is forced to continue, it will lead to problems for Bali Tourism, as it has in other several countries.
“We hope that this program will not be continued. Many problems have occurred in several countries after this program (Wolbachia) was implemented, don’t let Bali become the next victim,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, Nyoman Gede Anom, Head of Bali’s Health Office, stated that his office would stand with the Acting Bali Governor (decision). “We will wait for instruction to take the next steps,” he said.
In response to the demand to issue a statement letter, he explained that he needs to coordinate with the Provincial Government.
“The letter will be made within the existing bureaucracy, the Acting Bali Governor will sign the letter,” he concluded.
As previously reported, the public was divided into pros and cons regarding the release of Wolbhacia-carrying mosquitoes in Bali, where in several countries it led to outbreaks. This is something that is seriously noticed by Puskor Hindunesia together with communities, which is filled with foreign nationals who care for and love Bali.
