HEALTH CARE

Hot on the heels of the recent rabies breakout, Indonesians are again surprised with the reappearance of anthrax in some of its provinces. Rabies and anthrax, as in the case of Avian flu, monkey pox, or leptospirosis, are diseases that spread by zoonosis, i.e. from infected animals to humans. 

Obesity results from excess stockpiling of fat in the body, because of an imbalance between the energy intake and energy expenditure ratios. In other words, obesity is caused by excess food consumption, combined with an insufficient level of physical activity.

The Ministry of Health has reported an unusual outbreak of rabies in two regencies in Indonesia, i.e. the Regency of Sikka and the Regency of South Central Timor, East Nusa Tenggara Province, early last month. This 100% fatal disease spreads through the bite of warm-blooded animals, i.e. dogs (95%), cats, monkeys, raccoons, etc. (5%) who become infected with the Lyssavirus. And the grim reality remains that 26 of Indonesia’s provinces are endemic to rabies. 

With only six more years before the deadline for reaching its target of tuberculosis (TBC) elimination, Indonesia remains the country with the second-most-numerous caseloads of the disease. According to the Ministry of Health, there were 969,000 new cases over the year, with an estimated one person infected with TBC every 33 seconds, and a total death rate of 144,000 Indonesians – or 16 people an hour! 

During the Eid-el-Adha, Muslims who can afford to will happily sacrifice animals to demonstrate their faith in Allah. Mosques are abuzz with the butchering of these sacrificed animals and the distribution of the meat collected to local communities, especially to the poor. We might even be given a share of the raw meat, whether mutton or beef, from neighbors and family members. But what do we do if we have too much? What is the Shari’a ruling concerning the storage of sacrificial meats? 

The Indonesian health system faces significant challenges. Only 17% of healthcare expenses are spent on prevention, while 67% goes to treatment. Exacerbating the financial burden, no fewer than two million citizens go abroad for medical treatment, evidently mistrusting locally-available hospitals and doctors. 

Employee health and welfare strongly determine the progress of a business. The 2022-2023 Global Welfare Survey performed by global business consultant Aon, in cooperation with market research company Ipsos, shows that the higher employee health and welfare are addressed, the better their productivity is and the more sustainable their working life. Such employees will be able to adapt faster, be readier to shoulder responsibilities, and they will feel a sense of ownership of their employing organizations. 

The Ministry of Health recently reports that 26 of Indonesia’s 34 provinces are endemic with rabies, leaving only 11 rabies-free: Riau Islands, Bangka-Belitung, Special Capital Region of Jakarta, Central Java, Special Region of Yogyakarta, East Java, West Papua, Papua, South Papua, Central Papua, and Highland Papua. The public’s awareness about immediately getting medical aid when bitten by a dog or other rabid animal, and about vaccinating their beloved pets, remains low. This is why rabies cases continue to crop up in our Motherland. 

Photon-counting Computed Tomography (CT) Scan, NAEOTOM Alpha, is now available in Indonesia. This type of CT scanner with quantum technology produces clear, extremely high-resolution images. It helps doctors detect even the smallest anomalies in a patient’s body, leading to a more accurate and timely diagnosis. 

June 15 of every year is commemorated as ASEAN Dengue Day (ADD). “ADD was initiated by ASEAN countries during their 19th Convention in Hanoi, Vietnam, on 30 October 2010. The 10 ASEAN countries at the time agreed on the ‘Jakarta Declaration Against Dengue’ to strengthen regional cooperation and commitment to dengue eradication.

As a tropical country, Indonesia, with a humid and sunny clime, makes it a favorite breeding place for the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, the primary causal vector of dengue fever (formerly known locally as the scourge demam berdarah or bloody fever). The mosquitoes that cause dengue infection live in clean, stagnant water, such as bathtubs, water barrels, or flowerpots and vases. Once they find breeding spaces, the stinging insects will proliferate greatly within three to four days.