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.