Military roadblocks cause problems for hospitals

JAKARTA (JP): Heavy barricades set up by the military along some major roads in South and Central Jakarta on Wednesday not only prevented people from going to their offices but also hindered those seeking medical attention at hospitals in the restricted areas.

A top official at Budi Kemuliaan Maternity Hospital, Sri Susilastuti, said that the barricades had resulted in nothing but problems for the hospital's staff and patients.

"The barricades have hindered doctors and other employees coming here. It also caused problems for patients who wanted to come to or leave the hospital," she told The Jakarta Post.

Major thoroughfares leading to the State Palace were barricaded by the military Wednesday in anticipation of possible street rallies by students demanding the President to quit.

Budi Kemuliaan and Jakarta Hospital are the only hospitals located within the main restricted areas along the blocked roads of Jl. Sudirman, Jl. Thamrin, Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat, Jl. Majapahit and other linking streets.

Sri said most of the hospital doctors and employees came to work, though they had to walk a long way to reach the hospital on Jl. Budi Kemuliaan in the middle of the barricaded roads of Jl. Thamrin and Jl. Abdul Muis.

"I walked from Cideng (located at the other side of Jl. Abdul Muis) and had to plead with soldiers to let me walk through the roadblocks. I told them that I am a nurse and that I had to come to the hospital, but one of the soldiers told me to go home instead," she said.

Employees who were able to come in the morning likely had to work longer than usual since their replacements probably could not arrive for their night shifts, she said.

"That's OK. Many of us slept here for three nights during the riots last week anyway," she added.

Unfortunately, Sri said, many parents have skipped the hospital's regular examination day for babies because they could not bring their babies to the area under current circumstances.

"We usually examine or immunize about 100 babies every Wednesday. But today, there were only 24 babies who were brought here by people who live in nearby areas," she said.

The number of women who came for medical checkups was also less than usual, with only 11 as of 1 p.m. compared to 80 on ordinary days, she added.

Sri said a few mothers with newborns had to carry their babies while walking to the nearest nonbarricaded roads because their husbands failed to ask soldiers for permission to let their taxis pass the barricades and pick them up at the hospital.

At Jakarta Hospital on Jl. Garnisun, a narrow road linked to the barricaded Jl. Sudirman, a doctor told the Post that few patients came to the hospital.

Parlindungan Manik, head of the emergency unit, estimated that the number of patients, both at the unit and the clinic, had dropped 80 percent.

"I'm not sure about the number of patients in the clinic, but in my unit alone, we have yet to get a patient. By comparison, we usually serve 12 to 15 patients a day," he said. At about 3 p.m., however, his first patient, who lived at nearby Karet area, walked in with a skin ailment.

A hospital employee who asked for anonymity said that no less than 100 patients usually come to the hospital's clinic for medical assistance each day.

"But less than 25 people came today," she said.

Another employee said that the clinic had unofficially closed its operations early because of the lack of patients.

"We closed at 2 p.m. even though we are usually open until 8 p.m. But none of the doctors have left the hospital. They will gladly serve any patient who comes in later." (cst)