Jakarta stops free medical treatment

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The City Health Agency will suspend on Friday the free-of- charge medical treatment for flood victims although some victims are still suffering from post-flood diseases, including diarrhea and parasite-related illnesses.

It will also close its 24-hour-service in over 250 community health centers in subdistricts around the city.

As a substitute, currently the agency is conducting some programs to prevent post-flood diseases and staging public campaigns on healthy living and nutrition.

The agency was obliged to halt the aid because no more flood victim patients were being treated for flood-related diseases, according to an announcement from the agency.

It claimed that the peak of the diarrhea outbreak was over since it occurred on Feb. 10 while 195 flood victims were hospitalized and the number of flood victims continued to decrease afterward.

Dr. Wandaningsih, the deputy head of the agency, told The Jakarta Post that it had extended the free-of-charge medical treatment for 24 days after the diarrhea peak.

"Poor people can get subsidized medical treatment if they use a Kartu Sehat card," she said, saying that the card could be obtained at the social agency and subdistrict offices.

Governor Sutiyoso confirmed that the administration had to stop free-of-charge medical treatments to flood victims due to the decrease of flood-related disease.

"The decision was made to suspend the program because many were abusing it," he told reporters at City Hall on Wednesday.

Several flood victims in Petamburan area opposed the decision as flood-related diseases were still a problem for them. Last week, the area was once again hit by another flood.

"How can they do that? The administration said it would give each of us Rp 2.5 million for house repairs. We didn't get it but we didn't complain. But they should not suspend the free-of- charge treatment now," said Ruminta, a flood victim.

Ruminta's daughter was hospitalized for diarrhea last week in Tarakan hospital, Central Jakarta. As a street vendor, he still needs the free-of-charge treatment there.

"I have spent some of my savings since all my merchandise was swept away by floods. I also had to spend some to repair my house," he said.

Director of Tarakan hospital Dr. Soekiman Soekin confirmed that his hospital was still treating some flood victims.

"We have 15 flood patients now," he told the Post over the phone.

On Jan. 28 after the floods hit the city, the administration allowed flood victims to get medical treatment free from health posts, community health centers and hospitals here. It promised to repay the fee to the institutions.