HEALTH CARE

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. 

Organization of the hajj journey for the 2023 pilgrims is rife with challenges, mostly because the number of elderly hajj pilgrims (older than 60) is no less than 45% of the 221,000 leaving for the ritual this year. In other words, about 99,450 of our pilgrims heading to the Holy Land this year are seniors. 

International Thyroid Awareness Week (ITAW) and World Thyroid Day every May 25-31 are celebrated as an impetus to raise awareness about the importance of early detection of thyroid disorders, to get the right therapy.

A smoking habit is a great risk factor in preventable death. Data from many surveys show that a higher smoking rate strongly correlates with a higher mortality rate. The WHO 2018 factsheet claims that tobacco causes 225,720 deaths a year in Indonesia, or 14.7% of all fatalities.

Injuries may occur any time, any place – when exercising, playing sports, working, performing physical hobbies like dancing. In fact, even walking involves a risk of injuries. The knee is a risky body part, even during common physical activities like standing up, sitting down, walking, running, or jumping.