Jakartans' life expectancy highest

JAKARTA (JP): The life expectancy of Jakartans has become the nation's highest in this sixth Five-Year Development Plan (Repelita), Governor Surjadi Soedirdja has said.

The governor disclosed this fact when he officially ran the first operation of the city-donated radiology equipment unit at the Jakarta Islamic Hospital over the weekend, Antara reported Saturday.

"The life expectancy of men in Jakarta is 69 and women 71, while the average national life expectancy is just 63," he said. "In the last Repelita, Jakartans' life expectancy was only the second highest to Yogyakartans. That's because Yogyakartans lead a relatively more peaceful life"

He attributed the increase of Jakartans' life expectancy to the city's significant improvement of its health facilities as well as the improvement of its social economic welfare.

"Keep staying healthy by consuming balanced and nutritious food, doing some exercises, quitting smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages," Surjadi said.

He expressed hopes that every health center in Jakarta from small local clinics to big hospitals give equal treatment to all of their patients, regardless of their social status.

The Jakarta Islamic Hospital's head, HA Sanusi hoped that with its newly-granted radiology unit, the hospital would be able to provide quicker service to its patients.

He said the hospital has already allocated Rp 500 million (US$217,391) for its annual social programs, such as providing free harelips and cataract surgery. (26)