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.