HEALTH CARE

The Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) has issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) permit for the film-coated tablet Paxlovid for the treatment of Covid-19 in Indonesia.

Vitamin B12 deficiency is an expanding global problem that is diagnosed for people of all ages. The body cannot produce vitamin B12 by itself. Therefore, it depends on the foods it ingests to produce it. Foods that contain the vitamin come from animal products (meat, milk, cheese, eggs). The restriction of animal food sources, as in a vegetable, let alone a vegan lifestyle, will also impede the body’s intake of the vitamin. Furthermore, patients with digestion problems will also be vulnerable to vitamin B12 deficiency. 

According to Ministry of Health data, 1.7 million Indonesian children have yet to be given complete basic immunization during the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, the Ministry is now pushing to maximize immunization coverage by holding the National Child Immunization Month (NCIM) program across 27 provinces in Indonesia. 

The UN projects an increase of the world population to eight billion people by November 2022. As a country with high reproduction rate, Indonesia has the opportunity to benefit from this change in world demography, by resourcing a higher productive-age population than a country with a non-productive one. On the other hand, we are sorely lacking in human resource investment. 

Aging is typically associated with mental and physical suffering. The older you get, the worse it becomes. After centuries of research, medical experts today categorize geriatric syndromes – the health issues that normally occur as one passes 60 years of age – into thirteen specific categories, nicknamed the “13 Is”. These vary in intensity, from mildly irritating to heavily obstructive to daily activities, impairments ruining quality of life.

Dermatologist dr. Listya Paramita, Sp.KK shared her tips for consumers in choosing safe cosmetic products to prevent possible long-term effects when applied on the skin.

As Covid infections and deaths continue to rise, third-dose (booster) vaccine intake in Indonesia is still low.

To date, the number of specialists in hematology-medical oncology in Indonesia is only 188, with only 202 surgical oncology physicians. This number is far below the needs of Indonesian citizens for assistance against cancer, which is in fact around 0.07 out of 100 thousand inhabitants. This number is also still very low, compared to that recommended by the UK Royal College of Physicians, which is 1.42 for every 100 thousand inhabitants. In addition, not only is the number of professional medical personnel unequal across Indonesia’s geography, but with the continued development of technology that is not supported by the renewal of facilities and information in small areas, there are further limitations in the treatment of cancer patients. 

Stunting is not simply a matter of height. Stunting is a serious problem, because it has an impact on children’s cognitive development, a fact which ultimately affects the life of the nation, both in terms of productivity and the country’s economy. One of the criteria for optimal child growth is height according to stages of a child’s age. When a child’s height is lower than that of the average child his/her age, parents are immediately worried that their child might be stunted.

After audits are completed, the 2021 finances of the Health Social Security Administrator (Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Sosial Kesehatan – “BPJS Kesehatan”) are declared as “healthy”, i.e. zero deficit. On 31 December 2021, BPJS Kesehatan net assets totaled IDR 38.7 trillion, a healthy figure that allows it to pay maximum claims for the subsequent 5.15 months. According to Government Regulation Number 84 of 2015, Social Security Financial Assets are considered to be “healthy” if they cover full payment of all claims for at least the following 1.5 months, or at most for 6 months ahead. 

Deputy Health Minister Dante Saksono Harbuwono said the government would evaluate the dengue fever management program to reduce morbidity and mortality rate caused by the mosquito-borne tropical disease.