Free health clinic now available at Bantar Gebang
Free health clinic now available at Bantar Gebang
Rizky KD Ntoma, The Jakarta Post, Bekasi
For Yatin, a mother of nine children, having a health clinic near
her shack at the Bantar Gebang dumpsite, Bekasi, is something she
has really longed for.
Thanks to Sri "Rossi" Rossiati and Sri "Rian" Irianingsih --
famous with their nickname ibu kembar (twin sisters) who have
established a free-of-charge school program for street children
-- Yatin's dream came true.
On Saturday, Minister of Health Achmad Suyudi officially
opened Kartini health clinic at the dumpsite. The clinic provides
free health services for scavengers and their families living at
Bantar Gebang.
"I'm glad that there's finally a clinic like Kartini health
clinic here now. I don't have to leave this place to get health
treatment. It's difficult to get public transportation in this
area," said Yatin.
Rossi said that the clinic was the second after the one in
Pluit, North Jakarta. She also said that they had both used a
minivan when they started to provide free health services to
people in Bantar Gebang in 2001.
"Since the minivan, we've had a prefabricated plastic cabin
but it's not enough and we need a bigger space to accommodate
sick people," she said.
Both Rossi and Rian began to get the clinic ready two months
ago. Now the clinic has seven cabins, comprising general clinics,
a mother and child clinic and a dentist's consulting room.
Speaking about the money they had spent to set up the clinic,
Rian, with a big smile on her face, said: "Neither of us has
calculated how much we have spent on this. It's been divine
satisfaction for us. It's not much at all."
Suyudi expressed his gratitude at the twins' program.
"I'm really touched at their effort to help people living here
by providing free health care," he said.
Suyudi also said that the city administration had donated
funds for the clinic's electricity and water bills and also its
operational costs.
The clinic is monitored by dentist Kushartini M. Suhol and has
six resident doctors. Other doctors are provided by Trisakti
University and Indonesian Christian University (UKI). All doctors
and three additional medical staff are volunteers.
Every day, the clinic handles about 140 patients. Most suffer
from skin diseases, respiratory system problems and flu. The
clinic also provides contraception. If patients are suffering
from acute ailments, the clinic will refer them to Bekasi general
hospital.
Inauguration of the clinic has inspired children in Bantar
Gebang to become doctors in the future.
"I want to become a doctor when I grow up because when I
caught a cold and went to the clinic, the doctors always treated
me well," said 12-year-old Sairah.
"I want to become a dentist just like the dentists here who
always treated me well. I used to have toothache and now I have
healthy teeth," said 10-year-old Sity Muryana.