Local hospitals struggle to prepare for bird flu<\/p>\n
Tomi Soetjipto and Ade Rina, Reuters\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
From a shortage of anti-viral drugs to ventilators, Indonesian
\nhospitals designated by the government to treat bird flu patients
\nare struggling to get ready for a possible pandemic.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has appointed 44 hospitals across the world's fourth
\nmost populous country to take care of bird flu patients, with
\nthat number expected to more than double to 100.<\/p>\n
But years of economic crisis have taken their toll on the
\nhealth system, leaving hospitals short of funds and resources,
\nlet alone being ready for a disease that could infect countless
\nnumbers in the impoverished country of 220 million people.<\/p>\n
Halid Saleh, head of team of doctors to treat bird flu
\npatients at the Wahidin Sudirohusodo hospital in the eastern city
\nof Makassar, said they had prepared two isolation rooms with two
\nbeds each to handle patients.<\/p>\n
But there were no ventilators, monitors or emergency support
\nequipment for the rooms because they were needed for intensive
\ncare units, he said.<\/p>\n
"Officials from the Health Ministry paid us a visit last
\nmonth. We have made list on what we needed. But so far, nothing
\nhas been sent yet," said Saleh.<\/p>\n
However, some stocks of the anti-viral drug Tamiflu had
\narrived a few days ago, he added.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has had seven confirmed deaths from the H5N1 strain
\nof bird flu and five cases where patients lived.<\/p>\n
Bird flu has killed 68 people in Asia since late 2003. There
\nare fears it could mutate into a form that could pass from person
\nto person, sparking a global pandemic that could kill millions.<\/p>\n
Some state hospitals in Indonesia are not well equipped to
\nhandle any disease outbreak. Last year hospitals in Jakarta were
\noverwhelmed with patients during a surge in dengue fever cases.<\/p>\n
And few Indonesians have private health insurance that would
\nenable to seek better treatment at private hospitals.<\/p>\n
The Zainal Abidin public hospital in Banda Aceh was badly
\ndamaged by the Dec. 26 tsunami that smashed into Aceh province.<\/p>\n
It has since become operational and is now preparing for
\nanother potential disaster.<\/p>\n
Rus Munandar, director at the hospital, said they have
\nprepared one isolation room for nine patients.<\/p>\n
"We have prepared wards, respirators, ready-to-use equipment
\nand Tamiflu and other medication. We have prepared specialists,
\nincluding four lung doctors," he said.<\/p>\n
"We just hope the number (of patients) will not reach the
\nnumbers in Jakarta."<\/p>\n
Most of the confirmed and suspected cases of bird flu patients
\nin Indonesia have been in or around Jakarta.<\/p>\n
But the virus has been detected among poultry in two-thirds of
\nIndonesia's 33 provinces.<\/p>\n
Despite the problems, Farid Husain, the director-general for
\nmedical services at the Health Ministry, said most designated
\nhospitals were ready to face a bird flu pandemic.<\/p>\n
"We are ready since the government has declared this an
\nextraordinary event, ready in the physical sense and in human
\nresources," Husain told Reuters.<\/p>\n
He said the government aimed to furnish all designated
\nhospitals with the necessary equipment by the end of December.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has also said it would begin making the anti-viral
\ndrug Tamiflu in three to five months.<\/p>\n
The country currently has 800,000 tablets of Tamiflu, or
\nenough for 80,000 people. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has
\nsaid he wanted to be able to cover 11 percent of the population.<\/p>\n
Despite the fears of a pandemic and the possible risk to
\nthemselves, hospital officials vowed to stay on the job.<\/p>\n
"We don't have orders to flee if there is an outbreak," said
\nlung doctor Winaryani, at the Soetomo hospital in Indonesia's
\nsecond largest city, Surabaya.<\/p>\n
"Where is our conscience as doctors if we did such a thing."<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/local-hospitals-struggle-to-prepare-for-bird-flu-1447899208", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }