Defense Ministry receives field hospital aid

Erwida Maulia, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 09/28/2009 7:42 PM

The Defense Ministry received Monday two makeshift field hospitals needed to support the work of the military’s special disaster mitigation team.

The field hospitals, provided by the Health Ministry, were handed over to Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono by Health Minister Siti Fadillah Supari.

Siti said the hospitals were each worth about Rp 6.8 billion (US$ 680,000).

In his opening speech at the event, Juwono said the hospitals, each with a capacity of 100 folding beds, would help the Army’s Fast-Response Disaster Mitigation Squad perform their duties better.

The squad was specially formed to provide assistance for people in disaster-hit areas, after a spate of natural and manmade calamities across the country in recent years.

“This aid is the fruit of the partnership between the Health Ministry, the Defense Ministry and the Indonesian Military,” Siti said, adding the partnership was initiated in 1999.

Each field hospital is made up of 16 tent units, equipped with air-conditioning, foldable stretchers, anesthetic machines, water purifiers, power generators and an ambulance.

Siti said the Health Ministry and the military had also established a partnership in health services for coastal communities and people living in the country’s outermost islands, and in disaster mitigation activities.

New law tightens regulations for hospitals

Erwida Maulia, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 09/28/2009 9:12 PM

The House of Representatives passed the hospital bill into law Monday, granting the government the authority to oversee private hospitals and revoke their licenses in case of violations.

Health Minister Siti Fadillah Supari said the new law would provide better protection for patients’ rights to health services at hospitals.

“This is a breakthrough. With the law, we will now be able to regulate and oversee hospitals across Indonesia, including private and foreign-owned hospitals, if the latter are established later on,” Siti said.

“All hospitals will have to comply with our regulations.”

Siti denied allegations the hospital law would benefit private hospitals, saying it in fact provided stronger ground for the regulation of hospitals in Indonesia.

“We used to only have a ministerial regulation [to regulate hospitals]; now this is strengthened by the law,” she said.

“And obviously the government can now supervise and discipline hospitals. Formerly, we could not do so. And besides, the spirit of the law is to protect patients, not hospitals.”

The Health Ministry’s inspector general, Faiq Bahfen, said the hospital law outlined disciplinary measures for hospitals that violated existing regulation, including bringing them up on criminal articles and even revoking their operating licenses, depending on the case.

Govt to make ‘temulawak’ ‘jamu’ an icon of Indonesia

The Jakarta Post | Mon, 09/28/2009 8:38 AM

The government is working to establish temulawak, or Java turmeric, as an icon of Indonesia, on the grounds that the country has the most varieties of the herb.

State Minister for Research and Technology Kusmayanto Kadiman told a press conference in Jakarta on Sunday that research is currently underway to prove that the medicinal plant, whose Latin name is Curcuma xanthorrhiza Roxb, merits to be recognized as a classic Indonesian icon.

“Our researchers in etnobotany are confident that they can prove that Indonesia has the most varieties of ‘temulawak’,” he said.

“We also have social-anthropology researchers tracing the existence of the herb in the past, by looking at paintings in caves or reliefs in temples,” he added.

The next step, he said, would be to research how to use the herb, which naturally tastes bitter, in cooking.

“We have to make ‘temulawak’ part of our daily lives, in food, cosmetics, medicine or supplements; we don’t want other countries claiming it as their own,” he added.

Temulawak is used as an ingredient in most traditional herbal medicine, known locally as jamu. It is said to have anti-inflammation, anti-microbe, cholesterol reducing, and anti-cancer properties, and is widely used to treat stiff muscles and liver disease.

Charles Saerang, chairman of the Indonesian Herbal and Traditional Medicines Entrepreneurs Association (GP Jamu), said Indonesia was the largest temulawak producer in the world, with the best varieties of the herb found in Central Java, particularly in the Semerang area.

Indonesia, however, lags behind other countries that have long patented some properties of the herb and developed temulawak products.

Charles said South Korea, a major player in the international market for herbal medicines with ginseng, had researched the use of the herb as an ingredient in daily products.

Yaya Rukayadi, an Indonesian scientist working as a research professor at Yonsei University in South Korea, said his research had been used by corporate giant LG as an ingredient for toothpaste products.

“We are also developing anti-dandruff shampoo and an anti-aging cream from ‘temulawak’,” he added.

Kusmayanto said scientists like Yaya are what the country needs if it wants to advance in developing its natural biodiversity.

He acknowledged that Indonesia’s best scientists were opting for institutions abroad because of lack of appreciation at home.

However, he said, the ministry was working to attract more researchers on medicinal plants for jamu in the coming years.

“We will increase the funding for research tenders; we have spent Rp 100 billion [US$10 million] for 2009 and will allocate Rp 300 billion for 2010,” he said.

Charles lamented the government had taken so long to see that jamu could be a superior product.

“I tried to put it before the minds of many ministers before Kusmayanto, but to no avail. Now, I finally succeeded and made one realize the potential of jamu, but it’s only days before his term ends,” he said. (adh)

Annual EU healthcare index puts The Netherlands in “uncontested leadership”

Emerging pattern among the top countries: Consumer information drives choice and care quality

Health Consumer Powerhouse

The Netherlands win the 2009 Euro Health Consumer Index (EHCI), for the second year in a row - the first time this happens since the EHCI started in 2005 – and with an outstanding margin. Nevertheless, Denmark keeps its runner-up position from last year. Besides the Dutch and Danish system there is a small group of strong performers: Iceland, Austria and Switzerland.

There are general improvement trends among most of the measured healthcare systems, with examples of reform making impact not only in Netherlands but in Ireland or the Czech Republic as well. There are is continuous decline in the Spanish, Portuguese and Greek healthcare systems which do not keep up with the improvement rate one can find in countries like the Netherlands, Denmark or Ireland. Large parts of Eastern and Central Europe seem to be affected by the financial crisis.

The HCP research director, Dr. Arne Bjornberg, comments on the EHCI 2009 outcomes: “As the Netherlands are expanding their lead among the best performing countries, the Index indicates that the Dutch might have found a successful approach. It combines competition for funding and provision within a regulated framework. There are information tools to support active choice among consumers. The Netherlands have started working on patient empowerment early, which now clearly pays off in many areas.

Johan Hjertqvist, President of Health Consumer Powerhouse, commented: “With patient mobility growing around Europe, there is a strong need for transparency exposing the pros and cons of the national healthcare systems. The EU intends to introduce a crossborder care scheme which requires significantly better information to patients. This years´ measurement indicates that forward-looking governments start using healthcare information and choice to engage patients in the decision-making, building a pressure from below for improvement”.

Index performance criteria

The EHCI 2009 groups 38 indicators of quality into six categories: Patient rights and information, e-Health, Waiting time for treatment, Outcomes, Range and reach of services provided and Pharmaceuticals. Each sub-discipline is weighted for importance to provide the overall Index score.

The individual category leaders were as follows:

• Patient rights and information: Denmark
• e-Health: Denmark, Netherlands
• Waiting time for treatment: Albania, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland
• Outcomes: Sweden
• Range and reach of services provided: Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden
• Pharmaceuticals: Denmark, Netherlands

The 2009 EHCI is developed in co-operation with the European Commission DG Information Society and Media and works under the auspices of the Swedish EU Presidency.

arne.bjornberg@healthpowerhouse.com

Big baby boy weighs in at 19-pounds at birth in North Sumatra, Indonesia

Daily News, by EITAN GAVISH, DAILY NEWS WRITER, Thursday, September 24th 2009, 10:04 AM

A three-day-old baby boy weighing 8.7 kilograms (left) lies next to an average size newborn baby at a hospital in Kisaran, North Sumatra, on Thursday. A woman gave birth to the 62-centimeter-long unnamed baby boy by Caesarean section on Sept. 21. He is the heaviest new born ever recorded in the country, a doctor said. (AP/Andi Anshari)

A three-day-old baby boy weighing 19-pounds (l.), lays next to a standard size newborn baby at a hospital in Kisaran, North Sumatra, Indonesia.

A woman in Indonesia has given birth to a 19-pound baby boy, the heaviest birth ever recorded in the country, according to Agence France-Presse.

The unnamed baby measures in at 24.4 inches long, and was born by a caesarean procedure on Monday at a public hospital in North Sumatra province.

"This heavy baby made the surgery really tough, especially the process of taking him out of his mum's womb. His legs were so big," Binsar Sitanggang, a gynecologist who took part in the operation, told Agence France-Presse.

The baby boy initially was given oxygen to overcome breathing problems, but seems to be in a healthy condition, according to the gynecologist.

"He's got a strong appetite, every minute, it's almost nonstop feeding," Sitanggang told Agence France-Presse.

The enormity of the baby is most likely related to his mother, Ani, 41, having diabetes, Sitanggang told reporters. If a diabetic mother’s glucose levels are too high during pregnancy, the baby may grow too large because of high glucose intake.

Ani had to be rushed to the hospital after complications with the pregnancy. The big baby boy is her fourth child, and the only one not delivered by traditional midwife.

The Indonesian boy weighs in a bit short of the world record, currently held by a 23-pound baby set in 1879.

The baby boy is sure to be a handful for his mother, with a baby’s cry that sounds more like a lion’s roar.

“This baby boy is extraordinary; the way he’s crying is not like a usual baby. It’s really loud,” Sitanggang told Agence France-Presse.

Dementia burden 'underestimated'

BBC News

The future global burden of Alzheimer's and other types of dementia has been underestimated, say UK experts.

A report from King's College London suggests more than 115 million people across the globe will suffer from dementia by 2050.

This prediction is 10% more than previous figures published in 2005, driven mainly by new figures from South Asia and Latin America.

The Alzheimer's Society said the data showed the "scale of the challenge".

The rise in dementia fuelled by increasing life expectancies in countries around the world is causing widespread concerns.

The strain of caring for people with dementia is not just a social issue, but an economic one, placing a growing burden on the working population and health systems.

The King's College London research, part of the 2009 World Alzheimer's Report, published by Alzheimer's Disease International, estimates that there will be 35 million people worldwide with dementia by next year.

That number is set to almost double every 20 years, to 65.7 million in 2030 and 115.4 million in 2050.

Ageing world

Advances in healthcare and nutrition will have the biggest impact in poorer countries and, as a result, the number of older people is set to increase rapidly.

Currently, it is calculated that just over half of all people with dementia live in poor- or middle-income countries, but this is expected to rise to more than two-thirds by 2050.

In addition, the research suggests that the proportion of older people who have dementia is higher than previously thought in some parts of the world, adding to the estimated numbers.

Professor Martin Prince, from King's College, said that the numbers involved were "staggering".

He said: "The current investment in research, treatment and care is actually quite disproportionate to the overall impact of the disease on people with dementia, the carers, on health and social care systems, and on society."

Alzheimer's Disease International said that more countries should follow the lead of Australia, France, Korea and the UK in developing action plans to tackle the impact of the disease.

The Alzheimer's Disease Society said that the UK could still do more, with one million people set to develop the illness in the next decade.

A spokesman said: "This shows the scale of the challenge. This worldwide problem needs a response from every nation and the UK government must play a key part."

Related Article:

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Watermelon 'has same effect as Viagra'

BBC, By Tulip Mazumdar, Newsbeat health reporter

Eating watermelon has a similar effect on the body to Viagra, according to researchers in the US.

It's down to a chemical called citrulline which is found in the juicy fruit.

Watermelons are loaded with anti-oxidants
which are good for the skin

Citrulline is an organic compound which affects the body's blood vessels in the same way as the sex enhancement pills.

It helps relax the blood vessels which means blood gets around the body more easily.

The research comes from the US' Texas Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Centre.

Dr Bhimu Patil led the research. He said: "We've always known that watermelon is good for you, but the list of its very important healthful benefits grows longer with each study.

"Watermelon may not be as organ specific as Viagra... but it's a great way to relax blood vessels without any drug side-effects."

It's also claimed watermelons are good for your heart and immune system.

The vast majority of watermelon (92%) is made up of water. But the remaining 8% is loaded with the anti-oxidant lycopene which is also good for your skin.

Mosquito-borne African virus a new threat to West

Reuters, by David Morgan, Sat Sep 19, 2009 11:50am EDT

A man walks behind a model of an Anopheles mosquito in the new Darwin Centre at the Natural History Museum, in London September 8, 2009. (REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and Europe face a new health threat from a mosquito-borne disease far more unpleasant than the West Nile virus that swept into North America a decade ago, a U.S. expert said on Friday.

Chikungunya virus has spread beyond Africa since 2005, causing outbreaks and scores of fatalities in India and the French island of Reunion. It also has been detected in Italy, where it has begun to spread locally, as well as France.

"We're very worried," Dr. James Diaz of the Louisiana University Health Sciences Center told a meeting on airlines, airports and disease transmission sponsored by the independent U.S. National Research Council.

"Unlike West Nile virus, where nine out of 10 people are going to be totally asymptomatic, or may have a mild headache or a stiff neck, if you get Chikungunya you're going to be sick," he said.

"The disease can be fatal. It's a serious disease," Diaz added. "There is no vaccine."

Chikungunya infection causes fever, headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, muscle pain, rash and joint pain. Symptoms can last a few weeks, though some suffers have reported incapacitating joint pain or arthritis lasting months.

The disease was first discovered in Tanzania in 1952. Its name means "that which bends up" in the Makonde language spoken in northern Mozambique and southeastern Tanzania.

The virus could spread globally now because it can be carried by the Asian tiger mosquito, which is found in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, Australia and New Zealand.

In the United States, the mosquito species tends to live in southern regions east of the Mississippi but has been found as far afield as western Texas, Minnesota and New Jersey.

Health officials are greatly concerned about the appearance of Chikungunya in the islands of the Indian Ocean -- Mauritius, Seychelles and Reunion -- which have beach resorts frequented by European tourists.

"It is hyper-endemic in the islands of the Indian Ocean," Diaz told the meeting.

"Travel by air will import the infected mosquitoes and humans," he added. "Chikungunya is coming."

Diaz warned of possible double-infections involving Chikungunya and dengue fever or malaria, which are also carried by the Asian tiger mosquito.

The spread of the disease could be greatest in so-called mega-cities such as Mumbai and Mexico City, which have large and impoverished populations, poor health controls and water systems that provide ready breeding grounds for mosquitoes, Diaz said.

West Nile, spread by a different mosquito species, first appeared in New York in 1999 and now can be found in most of North America.

(Editing by Maggie Fox and Paul Simao)

Bali earthquake holidaymakers flee hotels

Terrified holidaymakers ran from their hotels when an earthquake soon after dawn shook them awake on the paradise island of Bali, in Indonesia.

Telegraph.co.uk, By agencies in Jakarta and Telegraph reporter, 10:13AM BST 19 Sep 2009

Indonesian man injured during an earthquake waits for medical attention at Sanglah hopital in Denpasar Photo: AFP

There were fears of a tsunami similar to the devastating wave which swept Aceh, in the north of Indonesia, and the coast of Thailand following an underwater earthquake in 2004.

But only a few people were injured and damage was apparently limited to cracked walls and dislodged roof tiles.

Two weeks ago a larger earthquake on the nearby island of Java left nearly 100 missing and presumed dead and ruined thousands of homes.

The magnitude 5.8 quake hit struck at just after 6 am local time on Saturday, 45 miles south of Denpasar, the island's capital, the US Geological Survey said. Indonesia's Meteorological and Geophysics Agency put the quake at a more powerful 6.4 magnitude.

Seven people were treated for head injuries and broken bones at Sanglah Hospital in Denpasar, said Dr. Ken Wirasandi, adding that women and children had run from their homes screaming when the ground began to shake.

"I was frightened because it was strong," said Ernst Raynaldo, a tourist from the Netherlands who was staying at the Kuta beach strip. "I ran out immediately as I saw many others rushing into the swimming pool," which was the closest open space.

The injured were hit by falling debris from buildings or hurt themselves jumping from high floors, said Rustam Pakaya, an official at Indonesia's health ministry.

The roof of a shopping mall in the island's capital of Denpasar also collapsed, the official said.

"When the quake happened I was in a market and some people started shouting and running out of the market building, leaving their belongings behind," said Putu Suartana, a resident in Singaraja. He said lamps swayed violently.

3 Genetic Variants Are Found to Be Linked to Alzheimer’s

New York Times, by NICHOLAS WADE, Published: September 6, 2009

Two teams of European scientists say they have discovered new genetic variants associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The variants account for about 20 percent of the genetic risk of the disease, and may lead to a better understanding of its biology, the scientists say.

One of the teams, led by Julie Williams of Cardiff University in Wales, scanned the genomes of about 19,000 patients, the largest study so far conducted on Alzheimer’s, and turned up two variants that have a statistically significant association with the disease. A second study, led by Philippe Amouyel of the University of Lille in France, also found two variants, one of which is the same as detected by the Cardiff team.

The fact that two studies could agree on at least one gene is an advance. More than 550 genes have been proposed in various small-scale studies as the cause of Alzheimer’s, but all have failed the test of replication by others, Dr. Amouyel said.

The three new variants have been detected by using much larger numbers of patients and by employing the new technique known as a genome-wide association study, in which patients’ DNA is scanned with devices programmed to recognize half a million sites of variation along the genome. The new studies were published Sunday in the journal Nature Genetics.

One of the new variants is in a gene active at synapses, the junctions between brain cells, and the two others help damp down inflammation in the brain. Inflammation is a known feature of Alzheimer’s, but it is often regarded as a consequence of the disease. Dr. Williams said that the detection of the new variants, which undercut the brain’s efforts to restrain inflammation, suggested inflammation might play a primary role.

The gene that has the largest effect in Alzheimer’s is a variant called ApoE4, discovered in 1993 in the laboratory of Allen Roses of Duke University. Dr. Roses said that the three new genes had minor effects compared with the variant site near ApoE4, and that their biological role in the disease was unclear, despite the statistical data pointing to their involvement.

Related Article:

Saturated fat in food can spur Alzheimer's

Garut hospital, health center treat victims of strong earthquake

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 09/02/2009 4:56 PM

7.3 shock: An earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale jolted the southern part of West Java at 2:55 p.m. on Wednesday. The tremor was felt as far as Jakarta and Yogyakarta in Central Java. (The Jakarrta Post)

Dr. Slamet Garut public hospital and a local health center are treating four wounded patients after a magnitude measuring 7.3 on the Ricther Scale jolted West Java on Wednesday.

Head of the hospital's Widjayanti Utoyo said that her hospital was giving medical treatments to a man and a woman who were suffering from major wounds.

“They were shopping when the accident took place. We can not ask for their explanations as they are still suffering from shock at the moment,” she said as quoted by kompas.com.

An official from the local public health center, Herman said that his health center was treating two residents whose heads were wounded when their houses' roofs caved in.

“The patients are La, 25 and Elena, 7. They are suffering from serious injuries and we'll probably admit them to the regency hospital,” Herman said. (ewd)

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