Hospital refuses sick children

BOGOR (JP): A doctor at a community health center in Mulyaharja village here said on Thursday nearby Ciawi General Hospital recently refused to admit children suffering from marasmus due to a lack of funds for the free medical treatment program.

Abdul Mughni said the hospital refused to treat children with marasmus, known locally as busung lapar, because the social safety net fund meant to provide free medical treatment had been exhausted.

"The Bogor health office asked us to send the young marasmus patients to Cibinong General Hospital, which is far from here," Mughni said.

He said this posed difficulties for local residents because they would have to take four different buses to reach Cibinong General Hospital.

"It's hard for the parents to pay the transportation fees," he said.

According to the head of Ciawi General Hospital, Wachyu Hindyanaya, the Rp 175 million social safety net fund received by the hospital had already been spent.

However, Wachyu said on Thursday the hospital still had funds from the local budget and the Ministry of Health to treat the patients.

"There is a marasmus patient who is receiving free medical treatment at the hospital now," he said.

Separately, as many as 284 people, including two reporters from Media Indonesia and Pikiran Rakyat dailies, agreed to become "foster parents" to malnourished children living in Bogor mayoralty.

The volunteers pledged their help during an "auction gathering" led by Mayor Iswara Natanegara at the Bogor Mayoralty office.

Each of the foster parents is expected to donate Rp 100,000 to pay for food for the children for three months.

There are a total of 2,224 malnourished children living in the mayoralty. (24/21/jun)