Planned hospital offers alternative treatment<\/p>\n
Multa Fidrus
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nTangerang, Banten<\/p>\n
To undergo medical treatment here is like shopping: The more
\nmoney you have the better the product or service you get.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, medical conditions identified recently,
\nlike AIDS and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), still
\nhave no cure and claim the lives of those who cannot afford
\nexpensive medical treatment.<\/p>\n
"Allah has given us water and plants that can cure various
\ndiseases, so why should we spend a lot of money on medicine,
\nhospitals or doctors' fees?" said paranormal Tb. Barce Banten,
\ndirector-to-be of the planned alternative hospital built by the
\nIndonesian Paranormals Association (IPI) in Tangerang, Banten.<\/p>\n
People suffering from diseases that cannot medically be cured
\nafter long treatment at hospital are expected to get a second
\nchance once the alternative hospital, claimed to be the largest
\nin Southeast Asia, is operational and open to the public in 2005.<\/p>\n
Barce, chairman of IPI's Banten branch, said that Banten's
\nalternative treatment had even gained popularity abroad,
\nespecially that for treating broken bones. He also claimed he
\ncould cure AIDS, something that medical science has yet to find.<\/p>\n
The plan to build the alternative hospital came from IPI
\npresident Norullah Marzuki, who has previously set up and managed
\nalternative clinics in Jakarta, Medan, Pekanbaru, Semarang and
\nDenpasar with the assistance of 250 workers.<\/p>\n
The idea to build the hospital in Tapos village near
\nTangerang regency's capital, Tigaraksa, was taken because of
\nBanten's popularity for providing alternative treatment.<\/p>\n
The presence of the hospital was also expected to reduce the
\nnumber of unscrupulous quack paranormals who tainted the image of
\nalternative treatment by providing false treatment and extorting
\nmoney from gullible people.<\/p>\n
Barce said the presence of the hospital was also expected to
\nreduce the number of people who sought medical treatment abroad.<\/p>\n
"Many wealthy Indonesians go overseas for expensive medical
\ntreatment overseas, simply because they believe in the
\nsophisticated medical technology used there. We also want to
\nprove that many foreign patients will come to Banten (to visit
\nthe alternative hospital)," he said.<\/p>\n
The hospital, Barche said, was not intended to disregard
\nmedical doctors by effectively accusing them of being unable to
\ntreat patients. Instead, IPI will also employ medical doctors and
\nnurses at the hospital. Only when patients cannot be cured by
\nmedical doctors will they be given alternative treatment at the
\nhospital, as stated in Article 12 of the IPI code of ethics.<\/p>\n
He also gave an assurance that treatment fees would be
\naffordable. Poor patients who came with a letter from the village
\nor subdistrict head would have their fees waived, and would be
\ngiven transportation money to get back to their houses after
\ngoing through treatment at the hospital.<\/p>\n
According to Chandra Yossi, a paranormal and lawyer who has
\nbeen entrusted as project officer for the construction work,
\ninitial funds of Rp 10 billion for the three-story building on a
\ntwo-hectare plot of land were allocated by the IPI president.<\/p>\n
Chandra, who is also secretary of the IPI branch in Banten,
\nsaid that it would train 200 people at an appointed foundation
\nbefore they were officially employed at the hospital.<\/p>\n
Tangerang regency's health agency, however, claimed it was not
\nnotified about the hospital construction plan.<\/p>\n
"All letters or information coming to this agency come to me
\nfirst, but so far we do not know about a plan for the
\nconstruction of an alternative hospital," said agency deputy
\nchief Endang Hendarto.<\/p>\n
He said that thus far, the Ministry of Health did not
\nofficially recognize alternative treatment, as it lacked
\nscientific support. The government, he said, only recognized some
\ntreatment that used traditional medicinal herbs.<\/p>",
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