Cataract surgery still too costly

JAKARTA (JP): "Doctor, is there a discount for a retired-woman like me wanting to have a cataract operation?," an old woman asks a doctor at a cataract stand at the Jakarta Eye Center. The doctor laughed and told her there was no discount.

Such a question is understandable for those who need cataract operations, a relatively expensive activity for most people.

Dr. Firman Karim of the Jakarta Eye Center charges Rp 2.25 million for a cataract operation for each eye, including a new lens.

State-owned hospitals, whose doctors are paid by the government, may charge less than the privately-owned hospitals, he said.

State-owned hospitals such as Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital in Central Jakarta charge between Rp 800,000 (US$347.82) and Rp 1 million for an operation.

Dr. Istiantoro, a member of the Indonesian Eye Doctor Association, said that the high operation cost is also caused by factors such as the service and the price of the equipment used.

"The service factors include manpower, such as the doctor and nurse, as well as the maintenance of hygiene while equipment includes artificial lenses which are still imported," Istiantoro said.

Dr. Firman said that the price of an artificial lens ranges from Rp 250,000 to Rp 300,000.

Istiantoro said that, to help the poor, the association, in cooperation with the Dharmais foundation, has been performing free operations since 1986.

"We have operated on about 40,000 patients for free in the last ten years. The total operation cost is around Rp 6 billion," Istiantoro said.

In commemorating its 12th anniversary, the Jakarta Eye Center is also participating in a scheme to help the poor by giving free operations to 50 patients on Saturday.

The patients were selected by community health centers in the city's five mayoralties.

The poor tend to neglect the illness for financial reasons and start to visit the doctor only when it's too late.

Dalih, a-65 year old man from Pondok Pinang in South Jakarta, started to visit the community health center two months ago, although his sight has been deteriorating for a year.

"I did not know about the disease and I did not know that it can be operated on," Dalih, who was one of the poor who get an operation for free, said.

Firman said that the growth of cataracts can be slowed down with the medicine.

Cataracts is an illness that usually affects senior citizens because it is part of the degenerative process.

"Cataracts is a result of the aging process and most of the patients are at least 60 years of age," Firman said.

According to a report from the Ministry of Health 0.75 percent of the Indonesian population, about 1.5 million people, are sufferers.

"But not all cataract patients need to be operated on. The operation is a must however if the patients have a problem with their sight," Firman added.

Unfortunately, not all of those who need operations, can afford the cost. "Most of the elderly people have retired from their jobs," he said.

Minister of Health Sujudi said last year that every year there are about 250,000 new patients and only about 50,000 of them can afford the operations. Only about five percent of all cataract sufferers are financially ready for the operations. "The rest, he added, have to rely on social charity," Sujudi said.

Sujudi said that cataract operations require sustained medical care and special glasses, both of which are more than most patients can afford.(yns)