Indonesian Hospitals

 Hello everybody!

Last week one of the kids in the Oasis, WK, had Dengue fever and we had to go to the hospital with him. Dengue fever is an illness transmitted through mosiquitos, just like Malaria. In the worst case, if you have Dengue fever, your thrombocytes drop dangerously low, which was the case with WK. When we arrived at the hospital, he was already so low on thrombocytes that he had to stay in the hospital for several days.

If the thrombocytes are too low, it is a lifethreatening situation.

This visit in an indonesian hospital left a deep impression on me. I hope through describing the circumstances there a little closer you will all appreciate your European or American hostpitals more.

First of all, WK was in a modern hospital that was newly build. On one end it is still not finished yet, on the other the ceilings are already moldering.

Me in action, swapping the two beds.



He also got a VIP room through Ade and Inge. That means an airconditioner and two beds. Only one of the beds were actually functional, the backrest of the other couldn't be lifted. WK of cause took the functional one, which was right under the airconditioner. WK had a high fever but the hospitals doesn't give out any blankets for the patients to cover themselves with. In the end WK covered himself with a bedsheet that Inge really had to fight for! In the end Inge and I had to swap the two beds ourselves so WK wouldn't have to sleep under the airconditioner.

The nurses in this hospital also don't do anything but measuring the bloodpressure every morning. When I was there the other day, they took blood from him to check the thrombocyte level, but they didn't even bother to wear gloves when touching the patient or taking blood. The hospital is so dirty that the cleaning staff wears mouthcovers!

Because the nurses don't do anything there always has to be a relative to take care of the sick person. The nurses don't wash the patients, don't help them to the bathroom and you don't get anything without paying for it in advance. I had to go to the farmacy in the front of the hospital to buy WK's infusions he needed.

Is there a case of emergancy there always needs to be a relative around, to buy whichever medicin the patient needs quickly. And often enough, the farmacy doesn't have all the medicin the patient needs. Because even in cases of emergency, you don't get anything without paying in advance.

So this was our experience in a VIP room. I don't even want to know what the 'economy class' is like!

I hope you gained a little insight into the indonesian health system.

I wish everybody a merry Christmas!



WK under his, hard-fought for, bed sheet.




The same food everyday. Smelled good though...