Cancer care project opened

Cancer care project opened

YOGYAKARTA: An Indonesian-Dutch health care project for cancer
patients opened Tuesday at state-run Sardjito Hospital.

The Health Care Project on Oncology is held in cooperation
with Gadjah Mada University's School of Medicine, the Indonesia-
Netherlands Forum, the Association of Indonesian Hospitals and
the Netherlands' Koningen Wilhelmina Fonds or Queen Wilhelmina
Fund.

Managing director of the project, Salamun, said the objective
was to improve the quality of medical personnel -- including
paramedics, nurses and technicians -- in the treatment of cancer.

The project will include activities ranging from
interinstitutional visits between the two countries and doctoral
education programs, he said. The project spans five years and is
also being carried out in Bandung and Jakarta.

"This is a good development as programs in the fight against
cancer have not been a priority in both countries despite the
increasing demand (for better) handling of the disease," Salamun
said.

The local government of Yogyakarta, Sardjito Hospital and
Gadjah Mada's medicine school are constructing a Rp 7.5 billion
building for an integrated cancer service.

Two other programs -- the founding of a Yogyakarta center for
pediatric oncology and a joint training force -- are also to be
included in the project. (swa)