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.