Free harelip medical operation for local kids from Caltex

Free harelip medical operation for local kids from Caltex

Rahmat was 12 and Juniati was 11. Like the other kids at their
village of Aur Sati in Tambang district of Bangkinang, Riau, the
two played cheerfully in the neighborhood.

So did Kurniati, 7, who lives in a small town of Kuala Enok,
Indragiri Hilir, Riau.

But their parents could not hide their sorrow eyes towards
their happy-looking children, who "differ" from other kids
because of their harelips. These destitute parents never
expressed their grim feeling through words, nor attitude. They
did not even complained it to God.

They, however, admitted that their heart were often touched
with the situation.

"The saddest part was when I wanted to breast-feed her,"
recalled Kurniati's mother, Darlis.

But again, Darlis and many other women with cleft lip kids
simply kept the sad mood deep into their heart with one desperate
hope: that somebody would come one day to help her beloved girl.

Rahmat's mother, Siti Saodah, said that she and husband indeed
wanted to bring her son to hospital for medical operation. "But I
couldn't afford it for financial reason." she said.

After 12 years of hoping and praying, Saodah's only dream came
true late last month thanks to a surgery performed by a medical
team sponsored by PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia, or CPI.

"I'm very delighted," she commented shortly after the
successful operation on her son's harelip.

Rahmat, Juniati and many other villagers suffering from the
harelip underwent similar free medical operation, which is
carries out regularly under CPI community development program.

The Tambang area is still witnessing a number of locals
waiting to have same free medical operation.

Kurniati and several others, including nine-month old boy
Cipta Nugraha, underwent such CPI-sponsored medical operation.

"Before the surgery, all meal and drink feeding to Cipta's
mouth going out again through his nose," recalled his
grandmother, Nursiah.

In the period of 1995 to 2000 alone, CPI has treated 227
harelip patients through its regular free mass medicating
services conducted in areas located near its operation fields in
Central Sumatra. In any of its medical services, the team is led
by a senior doctor from University of Indonesia or leading
hospitals in Jakarta.

A world giant oil company operates in Indonesia under a
production sharing contract to state oil firm Pertamina, CPI
currently employs approximately 5,800 people with 200 of it based
in Jakarta headquarters while the rest in its Central Sumatran
operating area, where it explores for and produces oil and
natural gas from more than a hundred oil fields, including the
world-famous Minas and Duri fields.

CPI today produces over 700,000 barrels of oil per day which
represents half of the country's total oil output.

In addition to operating those suffering from harelip, CPI --
together with Riau Coordinating Body for Social Welfare, or BK3S,
through Pekanbaru Tryni Foundation -- also provides expenses for
local children suffering from other diseases. Some of them even
had to be flown to Jakarta for treatment.

Nelda Srinopita, 9, who had a malignant tumor, and Miftahul
Hasanah, 6, who was born with no posterior opening at her anus,
underwent medical operation at Harapan Kita Hospital in Jakarta
in November last year.

CPI president Humayunbosha said the free medical services is
just part of the company's community development programs that is
proudly and sincerely presented by CPI to help both the public --
living in and outside Riau -- and the government.

"The community development has become CPI's tradition and
value which we all hope could be everlasting with programs
focusing on targets that are urgently and really needed by the
people," Humayunbosha said.

Among the three categories in CPI's community development
program, namely education, health and welfare increase -- the
company has decided to focus more on the latest issue for the
next couple of years.

"But the other two categories also have to be carried out in
effective ways," he said.

"With the significant increase in the local government's
revenue in line with the implementation of the autonomy
regulation, we have to communicate our community development
program further to the local administration and leading figures
to help reduce any possibilities of overlapping (with their
programs," Humayunbosha said.