A day of free medical care for Matraman Jaya residents

A day of free medical care for Matraman Jaya residents

Dewi Santoso, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

With medical services becoming increasingly expensive, some poor
families recently benefited from free medical checkups and
treatment, albeit for only for one day.

The free service was provided on Saturday to residents of
Matraman Jaya subdistrict in Menteng, Central Jakarta, with
around 200 local people -- consisting of 25 children aged between
six and 12, 75 under sixes and 100 adults -- receiving health
checks and treatment from medical volunteers

"I'm bringing my baby here for her fever. I hope they can
prescribe something to get it down," said 30-year-old Djumiah,
adding that her 11-month-old daughter, Fitri, had been suffering
from a fever for three days and that she could not afford to
bring her to see a doctor.

"Thanks to this, I can bring her here today for treatment,"
she said.

Aminah, 42, brought her daughter, Sita, 8, along to be treated
for a bleeding ear.

"Her ear's been bleeding since this morning and I don't know
what's causing it. I'm bringing her here to get it looked at,"
said Aminah.

Organized by the Nurani Dunia Foundation and the Medical
Emergency Rescue Committee (Mer-C) Foundation, the "Medical
Drive" was aimed at providing the poor with free checkups and
treatment, circumcisions and information on health. Volunteers
from the GE Elfun organization also participated.

Nurani Dunia Foundation co-founder Gita Prasodjo said that
Matraman Jaya had been selected as the location for the program
as she had known the area for quite a while.

Gita also runs the Proklamasi Educational Center in the area
and said she had become aware that local people were in need of
medical assistance.

The educational center, she said, had been built around seven
months ago, and was intended to provide local residents with free
courses in English, mathematics, dancing and drawing.

"They need these courses so as to be able to develop their own
capacities. But they also need to health care and that's the
reason the Nurani Dunia Foundation is organizing this event in
collaboration with GE Elfun and Mer-C," she said.

The medical workers consisted of volunteers from Mer-C, GE
Elfun, and some local residents who are involved in running the
educational center.

Mer-C Foundation's Ira Hadiati said her group was eager to
participate in the program as it wanted to help the people in
poor areas of Jakarta.

"We realize there are poor people who need health care but
cannot afford to get it due to its high cost, and we cannot just
close our eyes," said Ida.

Founded in 1999, the Mer-C Foundation is a non-profit
organization that originally focused on providing free health
care in conflict areas like Aceh.

As for the Nurani Dunia Foundation, it was founded in 1999 by
activist Imam Prasodjo and his wife Gita with the aim of bringing
people from diverse cultural, racial and religious backgrounds
together.