Health Ministry Confirms Free Treatment for Activist Andrie Yunus

The Health Ministry (Kemenkes) has confirmed that the treatment for KontraS activist Andrie Yunus, who became a victim of an acid attack, will be provided free of charge.

“Yes, he is being treated at Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo National Hospital (RSCM) and we will provide the treatment free of charge,” said Health Ministry Spokesperson Widyawati on Tuesday (17/3).

Andrie Yunus arrived at the Emergency Department (ED) on Friday (13/3) in the early morning hours with severe burns across multiple areas of his body. He presented with chemical burns affecting his face, neck, chest, back, and both arms, accompanied by vision disturbance in his right eye.

Upon arrival at the ED, the medical team immediately conducted initial examinations and stabilised the patient’s condition. The examination revealed exposure to acidic chemical substances in the burned areas. As initial treatment, the medical team performed irrigation and wound cleaning to reduce the effects of the chemical and normalise tissue conditions.

RSCM’s Legal and Public Relations Manager Yoga Nara explained that the initial diagnosis showed Andrie Yunus had suffered burns covering approximately 24 per cent of his body, which was subsequently corrected to approximately 20 per cent of total body surface area following further evaluation by the attending physician. The burns primarily affected his right face, right eye, both hands, and chest.

Additionally, Andrie Yunus experienced severe chemical trauma to his right eye with grade three severity (acute phase), causing a sharp decline in vision and damage to the corneal surface.

“To address this condition, the patient underwent removal of damaged tissue on the right eye as well as amniotic membrane transplantation to protect the eye surface and support the healing process,” said Yoga.

Currently, Andrie Yunus is being treated in the High Care Unit (HCU) for burns with treatment by a multidisciplinary team involving ophthalmologists, reconstructive plastic surgeons, and emergency medicine specialists. Treatment provided includes wound care, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medications, vitamins, and treatment to maintain intraocular pressure.