Military roadblocks cause problems for hospitals<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Heavy barricades set up by the military along
\nsome major roads in South and Central Jakarta on Wednesday not
\nonly prevented people from going to their offices but also
\nhindered those seeking medical attention at hospitals in the
\nrestricted areas.<\/p>\n
A top official at Budi Kemuliaan Maternity Hospital, Sri
\nSusilastuti, said that the barricades had resulted in nothing but
\nproblems for the hospital's staff and patients.<\/p>\n
\"The barricades have hindered doctors and other employees
\ncoming here. It also caused problems for patients who wanted to
\ncome to or leave the hospital,\" she told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Major thoroughfares leading to the State Palace were
\nbarricaded by the military Wednesday in anticipation of possible
\nstreet rallies by students demanding the President to quit.<\/p>\n
Budi Kemuliaan and Jakarta Hospital are the only hospitals
\nlocated within the main restricted areas along the blocked roads
\nof Jl. Sudirman, Jl. Thamrin, Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat, Jl.
\nMajapahit and other linking streets.<\/p>\n
Sri said most of the hospital doctors and employees came to
\nwork, though they had to walk a long way to reach the hospital on
\nJl. Budi Kemuliaan in the middle of the barricaded roads of Jl.
\nThamrin and Jl. Abdul Muis.<\/p>\n
\"I walked from Cideng (located at the other side of Jl. Abdul
\nMuis) and had to plead with soldiers to let me walk through the
\nroadblocks. I told them that I am a nurse and that I had to come
\nto the hospital, but one of the soldiers told me to go home
\ninstead,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Employees who were able to come in the morning likely had to
\nwork longer than usual since their replacements probably could
\nnot arrive for their night shifts, she said.<\/p>\n
\"That's OK. Many of us slept here for three nights during the
\nriots last week anyway,\" she added.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, Sri said, many parents have skipped the
\nhospital's regular examination day for babies because they could
\nnot bring their babies to the area under current circumstances.<\/p>\n
\"We usually examine or immunize about 100 babies every
\nWednesday. But today, there were only 24 babies who were brought
\nhere by people who live in nearby areas,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The number of women who came for medical checkups was also
\nless than usual, with only 11 as of 1 p.m. compared to 80 on
\nordinary days, she added.<\/p>\n
Sri said a few mothers with newborns had to carry their babies
\nwhile walking to the nearest nonbarricaded roads because their
\nhusbands failed to ask soldiers for permission to let their taxis
\npass the barricades and pick them up at the hospital.<\/p>\n
At Jakarta Hospital on Jl. Garnisun, a narrow road linked to
\nthe barricaded Jl. Sudirman, a doctor told the Post that few
\npatients came to the hospital.<\/p>\n
Parlindungan Manik, head of the emergency unit, estimated that
\nthe number of patients, both at the unit and the clinic, had
\ndropped 80 percent.<\/p>\n
\"I'm not sure about the number of patients in the clinic, but
\nin my unit alone, we have yet to get a patient. By comparison, we
\nusually serve 12 to 15 patients a day,\" he said. At about 3 p.m.,
\nhowever, his first patient, who lived at nearby Karet area,
\nwalked in with a skin ailment.<\/p>\n
A hospital employee who asked for anonymity said that no less
\nthan 100 patients usually come to the hospital's clinic for
\nmedical assistance each day.<\/p>\n
\"But less than 25 people came today,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Another employee said that the clinic had unofficially closed
\nits operations early because of the lack of patients.<\/p>\n
\"We closed at 2 p.m. even though we are usually open until 8
\np.m. But none of the doctors have left the hospital. They will
\ngladly serve any patient who comes in later.\" (cst)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/military-roadblocks-cause-problems-for-hospitals-1447893297",
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