Jakarta stops free medical treatment
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.