Lepers opt to stay longer at leprosarium

Lepers opt to stay longer at leprosarium

The last Sunday of January every year is celebrated by the
earth community as World Leprosy Day. This year, Indonesia
celebrates the day under the theme of Let's Free Our People from
Leprosy through the Multi-Drug Treatment System. The Jakarta Post
reporter, K. Basrie, paid a visit last week to patients at the
45-year-old Sitanala Leprosarium in Tangerang, West Java. Here
are his reports.

TANGERANG (JP): Most people who have recovered from their
illnesses do not want to stay in the hospital any longer than
absolutely necessary. They usually try their best to get away
from the hospital as soon as they feel better.

But this is not the case among recovered lepers, says
Sudarmadji, director of the Sitanala Leprosarium in Tangerang,
over 30 kilometers west of here.

"A number of recovered lepers are coming back, bringing the
number of old patients who choose to stay to much higher than the
figure for new patients," Sudarmadji said.

According to Abdurrachman, 51, who has worked at the hospital
for 34 years, the sensitivity of former lepers, their social and
educational backgrounds and the public's fear of the disease are
apparently the reasons for this chronic dilemma.

"Most often, when we ask their reasons for refusing to leave
the hospital, they simply say that they're here because of the
disease they suffered," Abdurrachman.

To help resolve the problem, Sudarmadji and Abdurrachman
believe in educating the public to bring about the understanding
that recovered lepers are no different than anyone else.

"The public's fear of the disease has been eliminated somewhat
thanks to the massive government campaign. But there are
apparently still a large number of people, especially those in
the remote villages, that still think that once a person has
leprosy, whether they have been cured or not, they have to be
kept away from normal people," Abdurrachman said.

So, what do the recovered lepers say?

"This place is heaven for us," said Agus, in his 30s. He
recovered from the disease two years ago after being treated in
the hospital for seven years.

Now Agus works for the cleaning service at the hospital for Rp
7,500 per month.

Many more have decided to earn their way at Sitanala hospital
for the rest of their life by working or helping the medical
staff rather than living with their families in the unfriendly
and unkind atmosphere outside.

According to director Sudarmadji, asking these sensitive
people to leave the hospital means creating a big problem.

"There have been a series of huge protests here. Particularly
because the lepers believe that people view them as worthless
members of the community," Abdurrachman added.

Today, a huge village -- home for hundreds of recovered lepers
and their families -- is found on the 54-hectare plot of land the
hospital occupies.

They have occupied almost one-third of the area for many
years.

Pioneer

The hospital, founded in 1951, is named after Dr. J.B.
Sitanala, the pioneer of the Leprosy Control Program in
Indonesia.

In the beginning, it was designed to replace the Lenteng Agung
Leprosarium in South Jakarta.

In the 1950s, the hospital was known as the Sewan Hospital. It
was Mrs. Rahmi Hatta, the wife of the late first Indonesian vice
president, who laid the corner stone of the building to mark the
beginning of the hospital's construction.

The hospital then got a new name, Sitanala Rehabilitation
Center, in 1962. In 1978 the name was revised again to its
current one.

Lady Diana from England is among the important figures who
have spent several hours there during their visits to Indonesia.
She spent time chatting with the lepers.

"We were so happy at that time. I will never forget how the
beautiful lady chatted happily with my patients," recalled
Abdurrachman.

The hospital currently has 550 beds with an average occupancy
rate of around 75 percent.

According to Sudarmadji, most of its patients come from East
and Central Java where leprosy has its highest prevalence in the
central Indonesian regions.

Because it is heavily subsidized by the government, the
hospital only charges patients Rp 9,000 per month each during the
duration of their stays there.

The medical expenses are set at around Rp 500 per day,
excluding special treatment.

"Although we have no extra earnings and only get our monthly
salary for a living, we do love this job, probably because of the
voice of our soul," said Abdurrachman, the most senior member of
the staff.

"Agus may be right that there is a kind of heaven here," he
said smiling.