RI pioneers new cancer program<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is currently developing a community-
\nbased cancer treatment program as one way of coping with the huge
\ncost that patients, and society, have to bear.<\/p>\n
A pilot project in a number of areas is currently underway in
\nJakarta, West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta and Bali for the
\ndevelopment of such programs.<\/p>\n
Presenting the main points of the project at an international
\nseminar, Soejoga, the director general of medical services at the
\nMinistry of Health, stressed that such a program should take into
\naccount the ethos and needs of the local communities.<\/p>\n
\"Each area has its own characteristics, so what we need to
\noutline and agree to in this meeting is a basic pattern of
\ncommunity roles,\" he told the seminar on Sunday, held at the
\nDharmais Cancer Hospital on the eve of the Jakarta International
\nCancer Conference.<\/p>\n
The project marks the start of a five-year program in the
\ndevelopment of a national cancer control strategy, which stresses
\nthe early detection of cancer. The program also aims at
\nincreasing the capacity of the nation's hospitals in treating
\ncancer.<\/p>\n
Cancer currently ranks the sixth most common cause of death in
\nIndonesia, but it is moving up the ranks quickly.<\/p>\n
According to the ministry of health, each year Indonesia sees
\nan additional 190,000 people with cancer. At least a fifth of
\nthem are terminal cases.<\/p>\n
Soejoga encouraged non-governmental organizations to play a
\nlarger role in raising people's awareness about the disease as
\nwell as in raising funds.<\/p>\n
He praised the role played by the Indonesian Cancer
\nFoundation, chaired by Karlina Wirahadikusumah, the wife of
\nformer vice president Umar Wirahadikusumah, and suggested that
\ngrassroots movements, such as the community family welfare
\norganization, should also be involved.<\/p>\n
Soejoga said any cancer treatment program should not be a
\nburden to the community.<\/p>\n
\"The basic pattern of community roles must eventually cover
\nother ailments besides cancer,\" Soejoga said. This is important,
\nhe added, \"as those at the grassroots level tend to get bored
\nwith too many messages. This is particularly true of rural people
\nwho have little spare time as most of their time is spent in
\nearning a living.\"<\/p>\n
Robert K. Farley, head of Jakarta's representative office of
\nthe World Health Organization, told the same forum that the UN
\nagency fully supports the Indonesian program.<\/p>\n
Farley noted \"the outstanding efforts\" in spreading and
\nincreasing awareness of the early detection of cancer, mainly in
\nthe project in Sidoarjo, East Java.<\/p>\n
Soejoga said that unlike in advanced countries, 80 percent of
\npatients with cancer here are incurable because medical advice is
\nonly sought at a later stage of the disease.<\/p>\n
Bagus Mulyadi, the chief for special and private hospitals at
\nthe Ministry of Health, added that this is partly due to
\n\"distrust toward modern medical treatment\" among the people.<\/p>\n
The seminar on Sunday was followed by the launching of a
\ncourse on home care for terminally ill patients.<\/p>\n
Called Hospice Home Care, the course held by the Cancer
\nFoundation aims at equipping medical staff and volunteers to
\nguide families on how to treat and live with terminally ill
\npeople with cancer.<\/p>\n
Wirahadikusumah said the Foundation has invited experts from
\nSingapore and Malaysia, two countries with more experience in the
\nfield. \"We aim to improve the quality of life of those who are
\nterminally ill,\" she said, adding that the Home Care services are
\nfree of charge.<\/p>\n
Soejoga called for greater efforts in lessening the cost of
\ntreating cancer. One injection of a combination of drugs, which
\nmust be repeated, costs around Rp 500,000 (US$223.7).<\/p>\n
Wirahadikusumah said that so far the Foundation can only raise
\nRp 17 million a month, sufficient only to provide care for
\nbetween 20 to 30 patients. Others have to be turned down.<\/p>\n
Selection is based on the applicants' proved inability to pay,
\nand medical opinion that their illness is still curable. (anr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-pioneers-new-cancer-program-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}