Cooperation agreements on health signed

JAKARTA (JP): Two letters of cooperation in health and medical sciences were signed yesterday at the City Hall, witnessed by Governor Surjadi Soedirdja.

The first letter was signed by Harry Ward, the rector of the medical school of the University of Arkansas, and M.K. Tadjudin, the rector of the University of Indonesia.

Because the University of Indonesia has cooperation agreements with the state-owned Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital and the private- run Dharmais Cancer Hospital, Tadjudin's signing was also made on behalf of the those two institutions.

The second letter of intent was signed by Harry Ward and Halimah A. Bambang Trihatmodjo, the head of the board of patrons of the Harapan Kita hospital -- a specialized hospital for mother and child care.

According to an official statement released after the signing, the program focuses on training and educational assistance for Indonesian health workers, joint research in medical and health sciences, exchange programs in child surgery and cancer treatment.

Governor Surjadi Soedirdja, in a speech, said the cooperation agreements on health are very important and need the full support from the government because such cooperation schemes are closely related to the real needs of the community.

The cooperation agreements are part of sister province-state agreement between Jakarta, the capital city which has the status of a province, and the state of Arkansas.

Governor Surjadi Soedirdja and Governor Jim Guy Tucker signed the memorandum of understanding on the double agreement in Little Rock on Nov. 17, 1993. The signing was witnessed by President Soeharto and President Bill Clinton.

The memorandum, a copy of which was made available to The Jakarta Post, emphasizes cooperation agreements and exchange programs in trade and economic development, investment, art and culture, and pediatric and cancer surgery. (06)