One more Acehnese child dies

One more Acehnese child dies

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Desy Chaerani, a one-and-a-half-year-old infant, who was
evacuated from Aceh, died at the Harapan Kita hospital in West
Jakarta from acute respiratory problems on Wednesday, as more
people arrive for treatment at hospitals here.

Dr. Eva J. Sulaiman, a pediatrician at the hospital, said that
two Acehnese children have died after being admitted to the
hospital since Sunday.

"Eighteen-month-old Rachmat Suhada died of dehydration last
Sunday. We are still taking care of several others," Eva told The
Jakarta Post.

More than a dozen babies, children and adults arrived in
Jakarta for medical treatment last Sunday. Harapan Kita Hospital
treated seven patients -- one baby, five children and one adult.

Five more Achenese were admitted on Wednesday to the hospital
including one child, Oriza Salsabila, 2, who is in a critical
condition.

Other hospitals, including MMC and Pondok Indah Hospitals in
South Jakarta, and the Jakarta Islamic Hospital in East Jakarta,
are also treating Acehnese children and babies for free.

"We are still taking care of nine patients from Aceh,
including several children and babies. They are all in a stable
condition. The hospital will not charge them," Yunus, an
administration staff at the Jakarta Islamic hospital told the
Post.

He said the hospital was expecting more people from Aceh to be
treated there on Wednesday.

Lili Hasanuddin of the Coalition of Non-Governmental
Organization for Tsunami Victims said that they were still
negotiating with Lion Air to fly tsunami victims from Aceh to
Jakarta.

"Actually, many more victims need medical treatment but we are
having difficulties transporting them to Jakarta," Lili told the
Post.

Lili explained that all babies and children brought to Jakarta
were accompanied by at least one family member.