Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://thejakartaglobe.com/opinion/arrival-of-swine-flu-a-rude-awakening/314725
June 26, 2009
Editorial
Arrival of Swine Flu A Rude Awakening
It was only a matter of time before Indonesia succumbed to the world wide flu pandemic. Swine flu finally hit our shores after 22-year-old British tourist Bobie Masoner became the country?s first confirmed swine flu patient.
Three other foreign tourists being treated in the country are suspected to have been infected with the A ( H1N1 ) virus that causes the disease. The authorities in Bali, where a ll of the cases have been reported, have acted, albeit belatedly, by requiring all passengers from abroad to undergo a blood check at the airport.
Angkasa Pura II, the state airport operator, has said that Jakarta?s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport has no immediate plans to require blood testing but had scanners in place to check the temperatures of arriving passengers.
Given today?s globalized world and the speed of air travel, it is imperative that health authorities do not treat this pandemic lightly. As the World Health Organization has noted, the A(H1N1) virus can spread and mutate without warning, which makes it difficult to track or monitor.
The swine flu pandemic should awaken the government from its long slumber in regards to reforming the health sector. It is an open secret that the country?s health care sector lags behind its neighbors, both in terms of quality and quantity. Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore have developed world-class medical centers and attract medical tourists from around the world.
In stark contrast, Indonesia?s major hospitals are understaffed, poorly equipped and do not have enough qualified doctors. Our health care sector is too bureaucratic and slow in responding to rapid changes in medical science.
Private hospitals are often handcuffed by politics and there is no pro active policy to empower the private sector. The country refuses to open its doors to international doctors and medical practitioners as the government clings to outdated and debunked notions of protecting local doctors.
The government?s mind - set toward the health care sector must change if we are to compete with the region in developing a world-class medical industry. The private sector must be empowered to hire the best doctors in the world and bring in the latest medical technology. Innovation, human resources, technology and rational thinking, rather than politics, must underpin our efforts to revamp the sector.
Indonesia can no longer afford to meander along. The Health Ministry must act immediately to open our doors to the best medical minds in the world. Only then can our own doctors improve their knowledge and skills. Only then will our hospitals be able to provide the best medical care in the region.
The next health minister must urgently develop a blue print for revamping the sector. Both government and private hospitals must work together to develop new standards for medical care. The swine flu pandemic is a wake-up call for our health care authorities.
June 26, 2009
Editorial
Arrival of Swine Flu A Rude Awakening
It was only a matter of time before Indonesia succumbed to the world wide flu pandemic. Swine flu finally hit our shores after 22-year-old British tourist Bobie Masoner became the country?s first confirmed swine flu patient.
Three other foreign tourists being treated in the country are suspected to have been infected with the A ( H1N1 ) virus that causes the disease. The authorities in Bali, where a ll of the cases have been reported, have acted, albeit belatedly, by requiring all passengers from abroad to undergo a blood check at the airport.
Angkasa Pura II, the state airport operator, has said that Jakarta?s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport has no immediate plans to require blood testing but had scanners in place to check the temperatures of arriving passengers.
Given today?s globalized world and the speed of air travel, it is imperative that health authorities do not treat this pandemic lightly. As the World Health Organization has noted, the A(H1N1) virus can spread and mutate without warning, which makes it difficult to track or monitor.
The swine flu pandemic should awaken the government from its long slumber in regards to reforming the health sector. It is an open secret that the country?s health care sector lags behind its neighbors, both in terms of quality and quantity. Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore have developed world-class medical centers and attract medical tourists from around the world.
In stark contrast, Indonesia?s major hospitals are understaffed, poorly equipped and do not have enough qualified doctors. Our health care sector is too bureaucratic and slow in responding to rapid changes in medical science.
Private hospitals are often handcuffed by politics and there is no pro active policy to empower the private sector. The country refuses to open its doors to international doctors and medical practitioners as the government clings to outdated and debunked notions of protecting local doctors.
The government?s mind - set toward the health care sector must change if we are to compete with the region in developing a world-class medical industry. The private sector must be empowered to hire the best doctors in the world and bring in the latest medical technology. Innovation, human resources, technology and rational thinking, rather than politics, must underpin our efforts to revamp the sector.
Indonesia can no longer afford to meander along. The Health Ministry must act immediately to open our doors to the best medical minds in the world. Only then can our own doctors improve their knowledge and skills. Only then will our hospitals be able to provide the best medical care in the region.
The next health minister must urgently develop a blue print for revamping the sector. Both government and private hospitals must work together to develop new standards for medical care. The swine flu pandemic is a wake-up call for our health care authorities.
