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Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts

Calls to stop mistreating autistic children in Indonesia

Posted by Aldie at 7:43 AM | 0 comments

Antara News, Rahmad Nasution, Sat, April 2 2011


"The very basic treatment of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder is sincere care and love. Please give them both sincere care and true love"


Jakarta (ANTARA News) - World Autism Day was commemorated in various cities in Indonesia on Saturday with a common message for better care and treatment of children with the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Hundreds of people, including parents with autistic children and teenagers, jogged and walked together in cities like the national capital city Jakarta, Medan (North Sumatra) and Magelang (Central Java).

What they expected from the commemoration was that misunderstanding and misleading perception of children with the ASD in Indonesia put to an end.

Acting North Sumatra Governor Gatot Pujo Nugroho, who joined the commemoration of World Autism Day in Medan, underlined the importance of good care for those with autism as their best remedy.

"The very basic treatment of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder is sincere care and love. Please give them both sincere care and true love," Nugroho said.

The children with ASD in Indonesia are still not understood enough and even bullied by their peers and adult people in their neighborhood and, much worse than that, also by those running regular schools.

Despite the fact that autism has nothing to do with a disease, the children with ASD are frequently regarded as "insane" people by certain people in the society due to their ignorance and poor knowledge about them.

Irma, whose kid named Dava is autistic, urged the people-at large to change their mindset about children with ASD. Instead, they need to have a deeper empathy and care for the "special children", she said.

A day before World Autism Day, Irma and some other parents with autistic children gathered at a luxurious restaurant in Central Jakarta along with Indonesia`s outstanding actress and film producer, Christine Hakim, for launching a documentary film on children with ASD entitled "Love Me As I Am".

Those attending the launching of this 45-minute-long film were the parents of 12-year-old Emilio, whose paintings were highly praised by collectors, and Michael Anthony, a pianist.

Christine Hakim said the docudrama featuring the real life and great potentials of the children and teenagers with ASD in greater Jakarta was expected to start changing the society members` misunderstanding about them.

"Until this time, the image of children with ASD remains unfairly negative. Due to poor knowledge and misunderstanding, their families also like denying the reality of life. This docudrama is expected to change the people`s assumption on children with ASD," she said.

This UNESCO goodwill ambassador said autism was not a sort of ailment or mental disorder as psychologists and medical scientists thought. Instead, the children with ASD have extraordinary cognitive potentials.

With their given potentials, those children could bring good things not only for themselves, their families, and their neighborhoods but also for their country if they were treated and educated properly, Christine Hakim said.

"With this documentary film, we hope there will be no more children with ASD who are isolated and regular schools which reject them. Education is the rights of all children," she said.

Sharing Christine Hakim`s views, the film producer, Dr.Ir.Ricky Avenzora, M.Sc.F, said the children with ASD who played in the film were indeed the "hope" of Indonesia because each of them had great cognitive potentials.

"Albert Einstein himself (one of the world`s greatest scientists-ed) is an autistic person," he said, adding that this docudrama would officially be shown to public on a TV station when Indonesians commemorated the national education day on May 2, 2011.

The high prevalence of children with ASD in Indonesia could bring excellent things for the nation if their great cognitive potentials were properly handled, he said.

As part of the efforts to create a proper understanding about and new awareness of children with ASD in the society, Ricky Avenzora said the film would be shown at a number of leading universities in different Indonesian cities.

"Besides showing the film, as part of our roadshows, we also plan to hold seminars and trainings for teachers and parents, and create caring community for those with ASD in such targeted cities as Medan, Padang, Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, and Makassar," he said.

Through the roadshows, the campus community members in Indonesia were expected to pay more serious attention to academic studies on children with ASD and start building collaborative research activities among themselves, he said.

Gading Pluit Hospital`s Consultant Neurologist Andreas Harry who financially supported this docudrama said the film was a chance to unite a new perception of the children with ASD.

Due to the scientific quality of its content, he said he was optimistic that the film was not only significant for Indonesia but also the world community members.

Changing the public misunderstanding about autistic children and creating a new awareness of the great cognitive potentials of those "special children" is not an easy work.

But, as Christine Hakim believes, with persistence and massive efforts of all stakeholders in Indonesia, the children with ASD in the country can be treated as they should be. They have the rights to be "loved as they are"!.

Editor: Aditia Maruli

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FDA examines link between food dyes, hyperactivity

Posted by Aldie at 1:30 PM | 0 comments

Associated Press, By MARY CLARE JALONICK, Mar 30, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The FDA is examining the link between dyes found in everyday foods and hyperactivity in children.

At a two-day meeting starting Wednesday, an FDA advisory committee will decide whether available data links the dyes and the disorder. The panel will recommend Thursday whether the agency should further regulate dyes, do more studies on the issue or require better labeling of the additives. They could also recommend that the FDA do nothing at all.

The FDA has so far said there is no proven relationship between food dyes and hyperactivity in most children. But the agency said that for "certain susceptible children," hyperactivity and other behavioral problems may be exacerbated by food dyes and other substances in food.

Public health advocates agree that dyes do not appear to be the underlying cause of hyperactivity, but say that the effects of dyes on some children is cause enough to ban the additives. The FDA is holding the meeting in response to a 2008 petition filed by the advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest to ban Yellow 5, Red 40 and six other dyes.

Michael Jacobson, the director of that group, said at the meeting Wednesday that the only reason that dyes exist in food is to trick consumers. Some manufacturers use less dyes in the same foods sold in Europe because of concerns there over hyperactivity.

"Dyes are often used to make junk food more attractive to young children, or to simulate the presence of a healthful fruit or other natural ingredient," Jacobson said. "Dyes would not be missed in the food supply except by the dye manufacturers."

Jacobson conceded that completely banning the dyes would be difficult, urging the FDA to at least put warnings on food package labels.

Scientists and public advocates have debated the issue for more than 30 years as the use of dyes in food has steadily risen. The advisory panel is sifting through a variety of studies over the two-day meeting, some showing more of a relationship between dyes and hyperactivity than others.

The food industry is warning consumers not to rush to judgment. David Schmidt, president and CEO of International Food Information Council Foundation, a food-industry funded group, said dyes help consumers enjoy their food by maintaining or improving appearance.

Suggesting a link between the color additives and attention deficit disorder in children "could have unintended consequences, including unnecessarily frightening consumers about safe ingredients that are consumed every day," he said.


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An image illustrating the ingredients in a soft drink
is shown on the Center for Science in the Public
Interest (CSPI) website. (Jorge Bach / CSPI)


PepsiCo cuts sugary drinks from schools worldwide


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Official: Workers touched water with radiation 10,000 times normal

Posted by Aldie at 12:34 AM | 0 comments

CNN News, By the CNN Wire Staff, March 25, 2011


Workers in protective suits prepare Thursday to decontaminate
two nuclear plant workers in Fukushima, Japan.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • An official says high radiation in water indicates nuclear fuel in Unit No. 3 is damaged
  • Plant operator is urged to improve its radiation control measures
  • Work continues to control temperatures at all the plant's six reactors
  • Pressure had risen at the No. 1 unit, though it now seems "rather stable"

(CNN) -- The water three men were exposed to while working at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant had 10,000 times the amount of radiation typical for that locale, an official with the Japan nuclear and industrial safety agency said Friday.

The high levels indicate the nuclear fuel inside the No. 3 reactor "is damaged," the official said.

The incident raised questions about radiation control measures at the plant as 536 people -- including government authorities and firefighters continued working there Friday, according to an official with the plant's owner, Tokyo Electric Power Co.

Workers are undertaking a broad array of measures to prevent the further release of radioactive substances into the air and beyond.

Some 17 people already have been exposed to 100 or more millisieverts of radiation since the plant's crisis began two weeks ago after a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami struck.

A person in an industrialized country is naturally exposed to 3 millisieverts of radiation a year.

But Japan's health ministry recently raised the maximum level of exposure for a person working to address the crisis at the nuclear plant from 100 millisieverts to 250 millisieverts per year.


RELATED TOPICS

The three workers exposed to radiation Thursday had the highest levels recorded so far, Tokyo Electric said.

They had been laying cables in the No. 3 reactor turbine building's basement when they stepped in the water. It seeped into the ankle-height boots of two, according to the power company.

The workers remained in the 15-centimeter (5-inch) deep water for about 40 to 50 minutes.

Two of them were admitted to the hospital: one in his 30s who was exposed to 180.7 millisieverts and the other in his 20s who tested at 179.37 millisieverts.

A third man, who was exposed to 173 millisieverts, did not go to the hospital because his boots were high enough to cover his skin, the power company said.

The water in this location is typically boiled and has low levels of radiation, Hidehiko Nishiyama of Japan's nuclear and industrial safety agency said.

The high measure prompted a top official with Nishiyama's agency to urge Tokyo Electric to "improve its radiation management measures."

The No. 1 reactor remains a chief concern, with the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum noting Friday that its containment vessel was experiencing "increased" pressure.

Earlier, buildups of hydrogen gas had driven up pressure that led to explosions at three of the nuclear plant's reactors, including the No. 1 unit.

Nishiyama conceded that "controlling the temperature and pressure has been difficult" for that reactor. Still, he told reporters Friday that the situation then was "rather stable," given indications the pressure was decreasing.

As to that unit's spent nuclear fuel pool, Nishiyama said the hope is to start pumping in fresh water -- rather than seawater, as has been done.

Such pools, which are distinct but tied to a given reactor, have nuclear fuel rods that can emit radiation especially if they heat, which is more likely to happen without any functional cooling system in place and when the rods are not fully covered in water.

Switching to fresh water, instead of seawater, is also a priority for the No. 2 reactor's core (as well as for its spent fuel pool), said Nishiyama. The aim is to prevent further corrosion and damage inside, which may be worsened by the buildup of salt.

The No. 3 reactor has been another pressing concern, especially after black smoke was seen wafting from its east side on Wednesday. The smoke had subsided by the next day, but remains a concern because its cause is still known.

Thursday's incident has further made it a focus, and Nishiyama said Friday that "radiation levels are high" in some locales near that unit.

He said that authorities were considering "other routes" to accomplish their goals of restarting its cooling systems, keeping its spent nuclear fuel pool in check and other aims.

To this end, firefighters from Tokyo and Kawasaki were expected to resume spraying toward the No. 3 reactor and its fuel pool on Friday afternoon, according to Nishiyama.

Efforts are ongoing, too, on the Nos. 4, 5 and 6 reactors -- each of which have their own concerns, though less pronounced because the units were on scheduled outages when the quake struck. None of these three units had nuclear fuel inside their reactors, though efforts are ongoing to control temperatures inside the spent fuel pools.


Related Article:

Radiation in seawater off nuclear plant spikes to 1,250 times normal

MOX plutonium fuel used in Fukushima's Unit 3 reactor two million times more deadly than enriched uranium

Fukushima workers in hospital after radiation exposure

Japanese face radiation risks on two fronts

Mothers receive bottles of water at a distribution office
in the Adachi ward of Tokyo. The government has warned
that infants should not be allowed to consume tap water.
(Haruyoshi Yamaguchi, Bloomberg / March 24, 2011)

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Doggy Prozac & Female Viagra: Big Pharma's new 'syndrome' strategy

Posted by Aldie at 7:14 AM | 0 comments

US pharmaceutical companies get creative when it comes to disorders and drugs to treat almost anything, from canine depression to female sexual dysfunction. The American drug trade is a multi-billion-dollar business, and is only getting bigger. Meanwhile the industry has been accused of illegally pushing medicine onto the market, often endangering the lives of patients. In the US, the most common medication prescribed for dogs is to treat aggression and anxiety disorders. Pharmacists admit that Prozac works





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Information Body Urges Health Ministry to Name Allegedly Contaminated Milk Brands

Posted by Aldie at 3:31 PM | 0 comments

Jakarta Globe, Markus Junianto Sihaloho | February 16, 2011


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The Commission for Public Information was under strong pressure on Wednesday to order the Ministry of Health to immediately release the names of infant formula brands that were allegedly tainted by bacteria.

David ML Tobing, a father of two children, filed a complaint at the commission’s office in Jakarta.

A statement by the commission, also known as KIP, said David had filed a complaint regarding the ministry’s ongoing refusal to announce the names of the brands, despite an order from the Supreme Court that it do so.

In its verdict issued in April 2010, the Supreme Court ordered the ministry, Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) and the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) to name the brands.

KIP member Abdul Rahman Ma’mun said they would intensify communications with the three institutions regarding the matter.

He said that according to the Freedom of Information Law, the names must be released.

The Health Ministry has previously stated that it could not name names because it did not know which brands were affected.

The case goes back to a study published in 2008 by the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB), which found five of 22 formula milk samples tested from 2003 to 2006 were contaminated.

In certain amounts, the bacteria is known to cause diarrhea and even meningitis in newborn babies.

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Research: 18,000 smokers in S. Kalimantan are 5-9 years old

Posted by Aldie at 7:05 AM | 0 comments

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 01/25/2011

A South Kalimantan Health Agency survey has revealed that around 18,000 children aged between 5 to 9 years old are active smokers, as quoted by Antara state news agency.

The shocking data was revealed by the head of the South Kalimantan Health Agency, Rosihan Adhani, on Tuesday, while drafting a Regional Regulation (Perda) on the establishment of smoke-free zones (KTR) in Banjarmasin.

KTRs will be established around places of worship, healthcare facilities, schools, playgrounds, workplaces and public transportation facilities.

According to Rosihan, the amount of juvenile smokers in the South Kalimantan province significantly increases every year. Approximately 30.5 percent of South Kalimantan’s population are smokers –close to the national rate of 34.7 percent.

The research reveals that 30.5 percent of the 3.6 million people living in South Kalimantan are smokers. Approximately 41.3 percent of the smokers are between 15 and 19 years of age. Those aged between 10 and 14 years old accounts for 17.5 percent of the total, and about 18.000 – or 1.7 percent – are within the age group of 5-9 years old.

The KTRs are intended to prevent non-smokers and young adults from being exposed to cigarette smoke, as passive smokers not only face health risks associated with second-hand smoke but it also sets a negative example for children and young adults who might end up smoking “out of curiosity”.

“Our main goals are to reduce tobacco-related diseases and/or deaths and to increase the air quality in South Kalimantan,” Rosihan said. “But we also hope the KTRs could reduce the prevalence of juvenile smoking, and hopefully increase workplace efficiency, as non-smokers are generally healthier and do not take ‘smoking breaks’ as smokers do.”

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Mentally ill woman locked up in chains for 20 years in Aceh

Posted by Aldie at 7:34 AM | 0 comments

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Thu, 01/20/2011

A woman with a mental disorder has been locked up and chained in a small room in Aceh for about 20 years by her parents.

The 41-year-old woman, Butet, has been locked up since 1990 while her younger brother, Janter, has suffered the same form of incarceration for 15 years, Bungani Boru Saragih Munthe said.

Butet, who has lived with her aunt since she was a child, grew up a normal girl, but started to show signs of suffering from a mental illness when she was at senior high-school. She said that she was under distress because her aunt always treated her badly, her mother was quoted as saying on Wednesday by Tribunenews.com.

After she graduated from school she could not find a job, and traveled to Jakarta to try her luck. However, she remained jobless. Her mental illness became more serious and she was sent to live with her parents in Kutacane.

Her mother said that Butet often stole things from her neighbors and acted violently.

After the report was made about the neighbors, a military officer forced Butet’s father, Samsudin Purba, to lock her up. She was put in a room measuring 4 by 4 meters behind the house.

One night several men broke into the room and gang raped her.

“Butet told me about what happened, but we did not believe her because she was insane,” the mother said, crying.

In the same room, Butet later delivered a baby, who was immediately given to a childless relative.
After the rape, the parents made several efforts to cure the woman, eventually selling their land, house and valuables to pay for her medical treatment, but to no avail.

Samsudin died in 2005. Not long after Butet was sexually molested, prompting Bungangi to move to Pane district in Simalungun, along with her children in 2006.

In the new surroundings, Butet’s condition improved slightly and she was allowed to communicate with her neighbors. But she remained chained in her room. Her brother, who also suffered from a mental disorder, was locked up in a separate room.

"Good morning, good morning,” Butet said in English as reporters visited her. “Come here, take my picture, I am an artist," she said, switching to Indonesian.

Bungangi, who worked as a traditional masseuse, said she had had another child who used to suffer from a mental disorder, but had recovered and now led a normal life.

She said they had inherited the illness from her husband whose three siblings also suffered from the same mental illness.

Asked why she locked up her children, she said, “At least this way I can see my children die before my eyes, rather than their being killed by people out there”.

She said that the neighbors often gave food to her family, but they never received help from the government.

Pane district head, Jan Petrus, said he did not know that the two residents had been chained up for five years. He said that he had been stationed at the post for two months and had promised to help them.

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Tsunami-hit Mentawai in need of medicine, health workers

Posted by Aldie at 1:19 AM | 0 comments

The Jakarta Post, Thu, 01/20/2011

More than two months after the tsunami struck Mentawai Islands, many victims are in desperate need of medicine and health workers, a humanitarian worker says.

Health Project manager of Mitra Peduli Mentawai Dr. Louisa A. Langi said that at least 134 people in evacuation camps on Siberut Island suffered from various illnesses such as diarrhea, fever and acute respiratory problems, kompas.com reported Thursday.

Many people were evacuated to Siberut Island as the area was relatively not affected by the devastating tsunami, which swept parts of Sipora, Pagai Utara and Pagai Selatan islands, last Oct. 25.

The lack of medicine was alarming, Louisa said, adding that even paracetamol was not available.

She called upon the government to pay more attention to the evacuees, especially those suffering from illnesses.

Head of the provincial disaster management agency Hermensyah said Wednesday that the budget was allocated only for victims who were directly affected by the disaster. As for the medicine shortage, Hermensyah said the problem could be settled with continuing funds from third parties.

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Bandung medical school reduces foreign student intake

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The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 01/19/2011

The Medical School of Padjadjaran University in Bandung says it will reduce the number of new foreign students from 100 to 90 in the coming academic year.

The policy is meant to provide more opportunities to Indonesian students hoping to become medical doctors, school dean Tri Hanggono Achmad said Wednesday as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

This year the Medical School will accept a total of 300 new students, including foreigners, most of whom come from Malaysia. Some others come from Timor Leste.

Every year, between 400 and 500 students take the enrollment test, which comprises an academic test, an English language test, a psychometric test and an interview.

For the course, foreign students are charged higher tuition fees, at US$3,000 per semester.

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Health Minister suffering from cancer

Posted by Aldie at 7:34 AM | 0 comments

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sun, 01/16/2011

Health Minister Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih has been diagnosed with cancer, an official said Sunday.

“Lung cancer has been detected," health policy special staff official Bambang Sulistomo said, as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

The news came as a surprise considering Endang’s healthy lifestyle and appearance, he said, adding that the minister had been undergoing treatment in Guang Zhou, China. “One visit to China usually lasts four to five days,”

Bambang said that thus far Endang’s work had not been affected, but did not know the severity of her condition.


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Jayawijaya region rich in medicinal plants

Posted by Aldie at 3:22 AM | 0 comments

Antara News, Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Jayapura, Papua (ANTARA News) - Located at an altitude of 1,900 meters above sea level, Jayawijaya district in Papua province is rich in medicinal plants.

The plants have for thousands of years been known by the Dani tribe in Baliem Valley as effective cures for various kinds of disease.

A lecturer at Santo Thomas Aquinas Agricultural Science College (STIPER). Yunus Paelo, said here on Tuesday a lot of plants in the mountains of Jayawijaya district had medicinal properties that could be developed for the local people`s welfare.

"The Dani ethnic community`s knowledge about the medicinal plants is in line with cultural development in the realm of medication," Yunus said, adding that many of the medicinal plants were endemic and only grew in the Jayawijaya mountain region.

He said among the medicinal plants growing in the region were Rhododendron macgregoriae which is effective to fight bacteria , Myrmecodia aureospinosa that can cure cancer and other diseases, and Pandanus conoideus which is popularly known as red fruit.

About the red fruit, Yunus said each fruit contains 35.9 percent of oil with 79.9 percent of oleic acid, 19.6 percent of palmitoleat acid, and 0.48 percent of stearat acid.

According to him, there were more than 70 kinds of medicinal plants with 62 genera and 37 families in the district.

Most of them were being cultivated by the local people and the rest was still growing in the wild such as Mucuna pruriens for Parkinson;s disease, Solanum nigrum for digestive problems, Rhododendron macgregoriae to fight bacteria, and many more.

Yunus expressed hope that the medicinal plants in Jayawijaya could be conserved, developed, and introduced to the public at large at home and abroad.

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UNDP: RI`s human development making rapid progress

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Antara News, Saturday, December 11, 2010

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) said Indonesia`s human development index made rapid progress in the past few decades.

"Between 1980 and 2010 Indonesia`s human development index (HDI) rose 54 percent, making Indonesia one of the leaders in the world development progress," UN chief representative to Indonesia El-Mostafa Benlamih said at the launch of Human Development Report 2010 here on Friday.

Indonesia had become one of the "top ten movers" thanks to its rapid progress in the health, education and income fields, he said.

"This progress reflects the government`s serious commitment to improve human development in this country," he said.

The report titled "The Real wealth of Nations: Pathways to Human Development" pays special attention to countries that have made the greatest progress in human development in the past four decades.

The Asia-Pacific region has so far made remarkable progress in terms of life expectancy, literacy and the number of children attending school in the past four decades, the report said.

In the 1970-2010 period life expectancy rate in East Asia and the Pacific rose by 14 years to 73 years from the average of 59 years, literacy rate increased to 94 percent from 53 percent and the number of children attending school went up by 7 percent, it said.

In terms of human development South Korea ranked 12th, followed by Hong Kong (21st), and Singapore (27th). War-torn Afghanistan was in the lowest position (155th), it said.

Meanwhile, National Development Planning Minister/Chief of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) Armida S Alisjahbana underscored the need to preserve macro economic stability and fiscal condition and anticipate the impact of climate change to ensure that the country would always make progress in its human development.

Climate change would have a great impact on food and energy supplies which would in the end put pressure on inflation and poverty, she said.

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Official Says Indonesian Hajj Pilgrim Died of Swine Flu

Posted by Aldie at 12:51 AM | 0 comments

Jakarta Globe | November 26, 2010

Jakarta. An official at the Hajj Health Center in Mina, Saudi Arabia, confirmed that two Indonesian pilgrims were found positive for the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu. One had died and another was still at the hospital.

Millions of hajj pilgrims praying in front of the
 Kabah in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. On Friday, an official
 confirmed that an Indonesian pilgrim died from
 the H1N1 virus. (Antara Photo)   
Wan Alkadri, head of the center, said that ST died two days ago after being declared H1N1 positive on Nov. 12. ST was originally from Surabaya, East Java.

“The other one is still being treated at the Al Wadi Hospital in Mina. Both pilgrims were suspected to have contracted the disease in Mecca,” Alkadri was quoted as saying by news portal Detik.com, adding that the two were not the carriers of the virus.

“We have conducted investigations and monitored everyone who shared the same floor with them, including members of their entourage. Nobody else showed symptoms of the disease,” he said.

Previously, Saudi's Health Ministry had said that four pilgrims had died due to swine flu and 67 others have been diagnosed with the virus. The casualties were a Moroccan woman, a Sudanese man and an Indian man who were all older than 75, and a 17-year-old girl from Nigeria.

The Saudi Gazette reported that meteorologists predicted more rains at the pilgrimage sites after Wednesday's sudden downpour. It was initially feared that the rains would hasten the spread of the virus, but Hasan Al-Bushra an epidemiologist at the Cairo office of the World Health Organization, said that this was not the case.

“It is carried in the air, by sneezes, coughs and touch. It is not waterborne. The rain could even be beneficial if it means crowds are smaller,” he told Saudi Gazette.

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Acute respiratory infection threatens Mt Merapi refugees

Posted by Aldie at 9:40 AM | 0 comments

Antara News, Sunday, November 7, 2010 23:52 WIB

Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - Acute rspiratory infection, hypertension, and headache were the ailments that lots of Mount Merapi eruption survivors suffered at the refugee shelters, a health worker said.

"The displaced people are so vulnerable to these diseases," top official of the Health Ministry Supriyantoro told newsmen here Sunday.

The sick refugees got medical treatment at clinics set up inside the refugee shelters but if their health condition got worse, they would have to be sent to a hospital, he said.

During their medical treatment, the Mount Merapi refugees would not have to pay anything, Supriyantoro said.

Some 45 hospitals and more than 100 health centers were ready to serve Mount Merapi eruption victims in the districts of Sleman, Klaten, Magelang and Boyolali, he said.

"But we (health workers) have difficulties in taking care of the refugees` health problems because many moved from one refugee shelter to another," he said.

Asked about the medical supplies for the refugees, especially those with serious burns, he said the supplies were not sufficient, but situation could still be handled and overcome, he said.

For taking care of refugees with burns, the medical equipment of general hospitals as Dr.Sardjito in Yogyakarta are quit sufficient, he said.

Mount Merapi, located on the border between two provinces, lies geographically close to Yogyakarta but is officially part of Central Java. It has continuously erupted since October 26, spewing hot clouds into the air and sending lava down its many slopes.

Due to the intensive large eruptions, the safety zone had been extended to 20 kilometers.

The exact number of victims remains uncertain but the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) noted that at least 135 people had been killed since Mount Merapi first erupted on October 26.

Besides killing at least 135 people, the eruptions had also injured 411 people and forced 278,403 others to take refuge.

The displaced people were sheltered in various refugee centers set up in five districts and towns within the provinces of Yogyakarta and Central Java.

Mount Merapi is one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia, whose eruptions have regularly been detected since 1548.

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ASEAN health officials adopt Hanoi joint declaration on traditional medicine

Posted by Aldie at 2:58 AM | 0 comments

English.news.cn 2010-11-02

HANOI, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- The second Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Traditional Medicine conference closed here Tuesday, passing the seven-point Hanoi joint declaration.

The three-day conference was held under the theme of "Bringing Traditional Medicine to the National Healthcare System Towards a Feasible Model for ASEAN Countries," drawing ASEAN Secretary- General Surin Pitsuwan and more than 200 representatives from ASEAN countries, Japan, China, the Republic of Korea, India and international medical organizations.

In the closing ceremony, Vietnamese Minister of Health Nguyen Quocs Trieu said ASEAN countries were urged to build action plans and mechanisms for boosting cooperation in traditional medicine.

Representatives held fruitful discussions to share experience in attaching traditional medicine to the national healthcare systems and preserving rich resources of medicines in ASEAN countries to take better care of people, said Trieu.

The Hanoi Joint declaration will provide criteria for ASEAN countries to carry out and assess the implementation of cooperation in traditional medicine among countries, according to Trieu.

On the sidelines of the conference, an exhibition on achievements of traditional medicine of some ASEAN countries was held, showcasing posters and documents on traditional medicine.

Editor: An
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Govt carries out psychological recovery program for Merapi evacuees

Posted by Aldie at 9:22 AM | 0 comments

Antara News, Sunday, October 31, 2010

Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - The Ministry of Woman Empowerment and Child Protection will carry out psychological recovery programs for evacuees of the Mt Merapi eruption.

"The program will be implemented because the evacuees, especially women and children, may have been suffering trauma too much," State Minister of Woman Empowerment and Child Protection Linda Amalia Sari said in Sleman, a district close to volcano in Yogyakarta, Sunday.

The ministry has currently been conducting a study on psychological disorders facing the evacuees, especially women and children, at the Central Command Post for Mount Merapi Disaster Mitigation. "When the emergency relief operations are over, we will start with the program," she added.

The minister said that the program is being prepared on the basis of experience gained from past disasters in Aceh and Padang in Sumatra, and in and Wasior, West Papua. Under the program, women were given motivations to be patient and steadfast and children being kept cheerful and continue with their study.

She appreciated the Sleman regional administration for having provided separate barracks for women and children, which are important because they need special attention and sleeping quarters.

The minister asked the evacuees to heed the instructions given by the relevant authorities for their own good, including to stay in the centers for evacuees until it is safe to return home.

Mt Merapi, one of the world`s most active volcanoes, erupted twice this week (October 26 and 30), spewing hot clouds and ashes up and down the slopes of hundreds of villages. At least 35 people had perished and some 50,000 had to move to safer places.


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Indonesian red cross sends hygiene kits to Merapi victims

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Merapi`s volcanic ash is health hazard : Official

Posted by Aldie at 12:27 PM | 0 comments

Antara News, Sunday, October 31, 2010 01:28 WIB

Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - Volcanic ash from Mount Merapi, if inhaled in a large quantity, could stick to the inner walls of one`s lungs and lessen their elasticity, a local public health official said.

"If the volcanic ash is inhaled in a large quantity, it could stick to the inner linings of a person`s lungs and reduce their elasticity. It is a real health hazard because it can cause infection of the respiratory system and the person could asphyxiate," Bondan Agus Suryanto, the head of Yogyakarta`s Health Office, said here Saturday.

People with a respiratory system allergic to foreign substances or suffering from asthma are advised to avoid the volcanic ash as inhaling it could trigger an attack of the ailments, he said.

The volcanic ash could stick to the respiratory tract and it could only be neutralized in the blood stream if it was small in quantity, he said.

Volcanic ash was also harmful to the eyes because it would obstruct the production of tears that serve as a cleaning and lubricating agent for the eyeballs, and thus cause irritation and inflammation of the optical tissues, he said.

Bondan advised people living near Mount Merapi not to do unnecessary outdoor activities. But if they had to go outdoors, it was best for them to wear protective masks to avoid inhaling sulfuric acid volcanic ash.

His office would distribute more masks to the people, he said.

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Sixty-nine people in Subang die of HIV/AIDS

Posted by Aldie at 6:36 AM | 0 comments

Antara News, Monday, October 18, 2010 19:38 WIB

Subang, W Java (ANTARA News) - HIV/AIDS has become a serious threat to public health in Subang district, West Java, because at least 69 HIV/AIDS patients have died over the past nine months.

"We consider HIV/AIDS in the Subang region a serious problem because the death toll has already reached 69," Suwata, a local health worker, said here Monday.

Suwata, coordinator of the HIV/AIDS eradication unit of Subang district`s health office, said the deaths of the HIV/AIDS-infected people had also been caused by other ailments they were suffering from.

Most of the HIV/AIDS deaths had happened in Subang district`s northern coastal areas, he said.

"We have declared those areas as `red` or high-risk spots in terms of the HIV/AIDS disease," he said.

It had been established that most of the HIV/AIDS sufferers in those areas were commerical sex wokers, he said.

Over the past nine months in 2010 alone, a total of 352 HIV/AIDS cases were detected in 13 spots across Subang district, Suwata said.

Among the red areas in Subang district were Patokbeusi, Blanakan, Ciasem, Pamanukan and Cipunagara, he said.

Beside adults, three toddlers were also among the HIV/AIDS sufferers. The infants had been infected by their mothers,

In their efforst to halt the spread of the deadly disease, the district`s health workers conducted such activities as regular blood tests on people in the high-risk groups, he said.

HIV/AIDS has become a serious threat to young Indonesians in many parts of the country.

In Lebak, Banten Province, for instance, there are at least 1,700 HIV/AIDS patients. Eighty-six of them had died, according to Arief Mulyawan, chairman of Banten`s HIV/AIDS Eradication Commission.

"The total number of HIV/AIDS patients in Banten increased from 1,684 to at least 1,700 this year," he said.

The majority of the HIV/AIDS-infected residents was women. However, the final figure would only be known in October, he said.

In addition to sex with multiple partners, the high number of HIV/AIDS patients in Banten was also related with the use of non-sterile syringes among drug users, he said.

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