Sutardi doctors Orang Rimba

Sutardi doctors Orang Rimba

Haidir Anwar Tanjung, The Jakarta Post, Jambi

When Sutardi Diharjo, a graduate of the Police Nursing College
who majored in hemodialysis, pondered joining a team to provide
health care to the Orang Rimba, literally the forest people, an
indigenous tribe living in Bukit Duabelas National Park in Jambi,
people frowned upon the idea.

"Why should you go so far away, staying deep in the forest to
work with these forest people?" they asked.

Sutardi simply turned a deaf ear to such skepticism.

Born on May 12, 1978 in a small village in Kedung Ringin in
Surakarta, Central Java, Sutardi finally made up his mind to join
the team.

One of his major considerations was that he wanted to have an
enriching experience by taking on this adventurous job.

He did not care that he could most likely get a job at Raden
Said Sukanto Central Police Hospital in the capital, where he
used to work as a nurse in the operation room.

In Jambi alone, many colleagues were unwilling to be assigned
to a hamlet far from the bustling city. Even those who sign up
for the assignment prefer to stay in the forest for only a brief
period.

Sutardi, however, has chosen the forest and to help the Orang
Rimba.

In order to realize his goal, Sutardi signed up for an 18-
month stint with Warsi, a non-governmental organization that has
been providing medical care to the Orang Rimba for over three
years. Aside from his work with the Orang Rimba, Sutardi also
runs advocacy campaigns at local health offices.

The Warsi team has provided medical services for some 2,600
Orang Rimba, who follow a traditional way of life. As part of its
long-term project, Warsi hopes to teach the Orang Rimba the
importance of good medical care, so that they will cease to be
dependent on Warsi in health issues.

"In fact, provincial and regental health offices have provided
health care services to the tribespeople, but only a few of them
have enjoyed these services, particularly those easily accessible
by outsiders," Sutardi told The Jakarta Post.

One of the difficulties that Sutardi has had to face in his
job is the Orang Rimba's strong belief in traditional herbal
remedies, or ethnomedicine, and their faith in shamans.

While these methods are generally effective, there are many
diseases that cannot be cured in the traditional way. The health
of the tribespeople has also declined because of their lack of
knowledge on caring for their health and on a healthy lifestyle.

"At first, they did not trust modern medicine," Sutardi said.

He attributes the poor health of the Orang Rimba to poor
personal hygiene -- many of them have diarrhea, skin problems and
bad teeth. Other diseases often found among the forest people
include upper respiratory tract infections, malaria, intestinal
worms and digestive tract infections.

Many Orang Rimba suffer from upper respiratory tract
infections because they start smoking between the ages of six to
seven years. Even old women cannot get away from smoking.

"It is not easy to change their habits, because it is their
belief that whether or not you smoke, you will die -- and that
you could die any day, today or tomorrow," he said.

Sutardi's patience in reaching out to the Orang Rimba has
helped to introduce a change in their lifestyle. They now use
soap when bathing, and wash their hands before and after a meal.

"They brush their teeth now, and also wash their clothing and
dry them," he added.

Several decades ago, the Orang Rimba relied on many herbal
medicines, harvested from their forest home, to cure illnesses.
Now that many forest areas have been converted to timber
concessions and resettlement areas, and illegal logging has razed
forest areas, many of these herbs have disappeared.

"The tribal chief used to be able to find the raw materials
for their traditional medicines, but not any more," said Sutardi.

Aside from providing medical care for the Orang Rimba, Sutardi
also acts as an interpreter between the Orang Rimba and hospital
staff. He said the tribespeople sometimes found it strange that
when Orang Terang (outsiders) visited sick relatives, they
usually gave them gifts or money.

"The Orang Rimba have never done so," he said.

He also said that it was difficult to persuade the Orang Rimba
to seek medical help at a hospital. They believe that illness is
due to a curse or black magic.

"I have often had to try hard to explain to them that illness
is not something to be afraid of but something to be cured," he
said.

The perseverance and patience that Sutardi and Warsi show in
their dealings with Orang Rimba have paid off. Teaming up with
health offices, the community empowerment and social welfare
office of Merangin regency, Jambi, Warsi has distributed 500
health cards to the Orang Rimba people in the park.

"These health cards, which are part of the social safety net
program, allow the poor to enjoy free health care," he said.

Sutardi is responsible for the distribution of these health
cards and the administration side. The health cards for the Orang
Rimba are special in that, unlike regular health cards, they are
valid for life.

"These health cards can be used at all hospitals and health
community centers in Jambi," he said.

The distribution of these health cards is evidence of the
increasing attention the government pays to the Orang Rimba. With
Sutardi acting as facilitator, three Orang Rimba children --
Beconteng, 8, Melempi, 7, and Mijak, 13 -- underwent surgery at
Abundjani General Hospital in Bangko and Raden Mattaher General
Hospital in Jambi.

Beconteng had a cyst behind his left ear removed while Melempi
and Mijak had surgery for congenital hernias in June 2003,
Sutardi said.