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.