Hospital urged to clarify statement on AIDS case<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government regrets the ambiguous statement
\nMedistra hospital recently issued about an AIDS case, an official
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Fahmi Saifuddin, assistant to the State Minister for People's
\nWelfare for health, religious affairs, population and the
\nenvironment, told the press over the weekend that clearer
\ninformation is needed to solve the problem.<\/p>\n
The private hospital has reportedly discriminated against AIDS
\npatients and barred Dr. Samsuridjal, one of its internists, from
\ntreating infected patients since early this month.<\/p>\n
The hospital has denied the charges but has not explained why
\nit barred the internist.<\/p>\n
Fahmi, while opening a seminar on a doctor's role in
\npreventing the spread of HIV and AIDS, said that the deadly
\ndisease is a serious public health problem.<\/p>\n
\"In handling the public health problem, there should be open
\ncommunication between the government and the public,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He reminded participants that medical problems cross
\nideological, religious and sexual barriers.<\/p>\n
He urged all parties involved in the Medistra affair to
\nquickly solve the problem.<\/p>\n
Fahmi said the case is a national challenge. The country must
\nprepare itself for bigger problems, especially the spread of
\nAIDS.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile Azrul Azwar, the chairman of the Indonesian Medical
\nAssociation, urged the members of the association not to be
\ndiscriminatory.<\/p>\n
Speaking in front of 112 doctors, Azrul expressed his hope
\nthat they will treat patients equally.<\/p>\n
He said that having fear and worry is human but doctors should
\nbe able to understand the patients' feelings.<\/p>\n
Azrul told the press that he had received a letter from the
\nJakarta office of the Ministry of Health stating that Medistra
\ndenied it had refused to treat AIDS sufferers and had not
\nrestricted Samsuridjal.<\/p>\n
Samsuridjal told the press recently that he had been ordered
\nto stop examining patients because he had treated three AIDS
\nsufferers.<\/p>\n
Azrul said he had already given Samsuridjal the letter and was
\nwaiting for a response.<\/p>\n
\"I won't give any further comment,\" he said. \"We should wait
\nuntil the ministry finishes its investigation,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Broto Wasisto, an expert staff member at the Ministry of
\nHealth, said on the same occasion that most hospitals don't
\nobject to taking care of people with AIDS.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the Medistra case, he said any hospital which
\nrefused to care for AIDS sufferers would be punished
\nadministratively.<\/p>\n
Zubairi Djoerban, another speaker at the seminar, said
\nIndonesia is facing greater problems because there has been a
\nsharp increase in sufferers.<\/p>\n
He specified belated diagnoses as one reason for the increase.<\/p>\n
He said patient's families must also be prepared to help.<\/p>\n
Zubairi, who is also chairman of the AIDS special education
\ngroup at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, said that many city
\nhospitals are not ready to accept AIDS sufferers.<\/p>\n
He indicated that the families of AIDS sufferers usually want
\nthem admitted to hospital.<\/p>\n
Dadang Hawari, a psychiatrist, stated during the seminar that
\nAIDS is more a \"lifestyle disease\" than anything else.<\/p>\n
He emphasized that 90 percent of infection occurs through
\nsexual contact, especially among people who practice free sex or
\nfrequent prostitutes.<\/p>\n
Dadang, who is also the president of the ASEAN Federation for
\nPsychiatry and Mental Health, said that psychological and
\nreligious approaches within a family can help improve the ability
\nof its members to stay away from this lifestyle. (05)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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