HEALTH CARE

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.

Booster vaccination doses are effective for reinvigorating the body’s immunity response against the Covid-19 virus. The people are urged to stop doubting the safety booster and to get it, because the vaccines we use are proven to be safe. However, according to the Ministry of Health, less than a quarter of our people have had their booster shots, only 24.08%, or 50.1 million people, by 27 June 2022 – much lower than the number of people who have had their primary injections (two doses) at 81.08%, or 168.8 million people. 

The “World Narcotics Free Day” is commemorated on 26 June. There are various types of narcotics and psychotropics, including amphetamines. Narcotics severely affect a person’s physical, psychological, and social condition. They can result in addiction soon after one indulges, and it usually comes in through the gateway of other addictive substances like tobacco, alcohol or marijuana.

Indonesia is a country where dengue fever is endemic. As a tropical country, we are rich in biodiversity. Unfortunately, this includes a wealth of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that cause dengue fever. This viral disease is spread through the bite of this mosquito, which lives happily in clear pools and puddles of water. 

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin predicts that the peak of the Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5 transmission in Jakarta is around the corner, based on the latest data which showed that about 85% of Covid-19 cases reported in the capital were due to exposure to the subvariants.

Many people do not know that gastritis and gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) are different. This is because they are both health problems caused by stomach acids, and it is difficult to tell the difference. The two illnesses are frequently conflated. However, gastritis is not an illness, while GERD is. A patient may suffer from both problems simultaneously. 

Some women complain of loosened vaginal muscles after giving birth naturally. They sense discomfort because this interferes with their daily life, especially in terms of post-birth urination and sexual relations with their spouses. 

The recent high number of Covid-19 positive infection cases means that everyone must be back on alert, for heightened risk of infection. Health protocol implementation must become strict again, especially in terms of wearing filter masks whenever we perform activities outside the home, whether indoors or outdoors. As Covid-19 infections continue to fluctuate, health regulations need to be adjusted to existing conditions, so that control of the disease can be maintained.