Hospital urged to clarify statement on AIDS case
Hospital urged to clarify statement on AIDS case
JAKARTA (JP): The government regrets the ambiguous statement
Medistra hospital recently issued about an AIDS case, an official
said.
Fahmi Saifuddin, assistant to the State Minister for People's
Welfare for health, religious affairs, population and the
environment, told the press over the weekend that clearer
information is needed to solve the problem.
The private hospital has reportedly discriminated against AIDS
patients and barred Dr. Samsuridjal, one of its internists, from
treating infected patients since early this month.
The hospital has denied the charges but has not explained why
it barred the internist.
Fahmi, while opening a seminar on a doctor's role in
preventing the spread of HIV and AIDS, said that the deadly
disease is a serious public health problem.
"In handling the public health problem, there should be open
communication between the government and the public," he said.
He reminded participants that medical problems cross
ideological, religious and sexual barriers.
He urged all parties involved in the Medistra affair to
quickly solve the problem.
Fahmi said the case is a national challenge. The country must
prepare itself for bigger problems, especially the spread of
AIDS.
Meanwhile Azrul Azwar, the chairman of the Indonesian Medical
Association, urged the members of the association not to be
discriminatory.
Speaking in front of 112 doctors, Azrul expressed his hope
that they will treat patients equally.
He said that having fear and worry is human but doctors should
be able to understand the patients' feelings.
Azrul told the press that he had received a letter from the
Jakarta office of the Ministry of Health stating that Medistra
denied it had refused to treat AIDS sufferers and had not
restricted Samsuridjal.
Samsuridjal told the press recently that he had been ordered
to stop examining patients because he had treated three AIDS
sufferers.
Azrul said he had already given Samsuridjal the letter and was
waiting for a response.
"I won't give any further comment," he said. "We should wait
until the ministry finishes its investigation," he added.
Broto Wasisto, an expert staff member at the Ministry of
Health, said on the same occasion that most hospitals don't
object to taking care of people with AIDS.
Commenting on the Medistra case, he said any hospital which
refused to care for AIDS sufferers would be punished
administratively.
Zubairi Djoerban, another speaker at the seminar, said
Indonesia is facing greater problems because there has been a
sharp increase in sufferers.
He specified belated diagnoses as one reason for the increase.
He said patient's families must also be prepared to help.
Zubairi, who is also chairman of the AIDS special education
group at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, said that many city
hospitals are not ready to accept AIDS sufferers.
He indicated that the families of AIDS sufferers usually want
them admitted to hospital.
Dadang Hawari, a psychiatrist, stated during the seminar that
AIDS is more a "lifestyle disease" than anything else.
He emphasized that 90 percent of infection occurs through
sexual contact, especially among people who practice free sex or
frequent prostitutes.
Dadang, who is also the president of the ASEAN Federation for
Psychiatry and Mental Health, said that psychological and
religious approaches within a family can help improve the ability
of its members to stay away from this lifestyle. (05)