VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian Health Ministry has assured that there has been no significant increase in cases related to the sudden death of hundreds of poultry in Koto Kampar XIII sub-district, Riau province.

"We conducted an epidemiological investigation of the farmers, while the Agriculture Ministry carried out the investigation on the poultry. In addition, the poultry sudden death case in South Kalimantan that occurred in February had no significant increase as well," head of the ministry's communication and public services bureau Siti Nadia Tarmizi informed in Jakarta on Friday.

She said that her party and the Agriculture Ministry are conducting sample tests to detect bird flu (H5N1) cases.

"For the poultry, the Agriculture Ministry will handle it," she added.

She said that samples of dead poultry from Riau province have been sent to Bukittinggi Veterinary Center in West Sumatra for examination.

There have been no reports regarding the transmission of the H5N1 virus from animals to humans, she added.

Earlier, the South Kalimantan provincial government had formed an outbreak investigation team at livestock centers in 13 districts/cities in the region to prevent bird flu clade 2.3.4.4b in the local area from spreading to other regions.

After a suspected bird flu case was detected at the end of 2022 in North Hulu Sungai district, there have been no other positive cases of bird flu in poultry.

The Association of Indonesian Pulmonologists (PDPI) also urged people to avoid direct contact with sick birds and remain alert for sudden deaths in birds to prevent the transmission of bird flu from birds to humans.

Humans who come in contact with poultry must wash their hands immediately with soap or disinfectant and avoid touching their face and eyes before washing hands, member of PDPI, Dr. Erlina Burhan, advised.

Meanwhile, Professor of Molecular Biology at Airlangga University, Chairul Anwar Nidom, said that the transmission of bird flu to humans is rare, but the possibility is still open, so it must not be taken lightly.

"The World Health Organization (WHO) informed that bird flu transmission to humans was rare but could happen," he noted.

However, Nidom advised the public to not harbor concerns since until now, no incidents of human-to-human bird flu transmission have been reported. (Antaranews)

The Social Affairs Ministry has dispatched three batches of logistical assistance worth Rp862.36 million (US$55,581.66) for the victims of the landslides that struck Serasan Island, Natuna district, Riau Islands province, earlier this week.

The landslides were recorded in Serasan and East Serasan sub-districts on Monday (March 6, 2023).

However, the delivery of some of the aid was hampered by inclement weather, Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini said at the Payak village refugee camp, East Serasan sub-district, here on Friday.

"Our logistical (aid) shipment is hindered by the weather. Some (of the assistance) had just reached West Kalimantan province. We are attempting to make it arrive at Serasan as soon as possible," she added.

The first batch of the aid, worth Rp478.57 million (US$30,845.26), was sent on March 7 by sea through the Surabaya (East Java province) - Pontianak (West Kalimantan province) - Serasan (Riau Islands province) route.

It comprised ready-to-eat food, child food, fried rice seasoning, kidswear, blankets, mattresses, baby clothing, adult clothing, roll-up tents, multipurpose tents, as well as portable generators.

The second batch of assistance -- including mattresses, child food, fast food, blankets, adult clothes, roll-up tents, family kits, kidswear, mattresses, and family tents -- was sent by the ministry’s Directorate of Social Protection for Natural Disaster Victims (PSKBA).

The second batch of aid was worth Rp140.38 million (US$9,047.91).

In addition, on March 8, the third batch of assistance was delivered by land through the Pontianak - Sambas (West Kalimantan province) - Serasan route.

It consisted of ready-to-eat food, child food, fried rice seasoning, kidswear, blankets, mattresses, baby clothes, and roll-up tents worth Rp243.41 million (US$15,688.5).

The Directorate of PSKBA also sent a number of personnel to help the local emergency response unit (Tagana) in carrying out a post-disaster assessment and distributing the emergency response assistance.

“The delivery of the aid depends on the available modes of transportation considering the (bad) weather conditions are still not improving," the minister said.

She assured that the needs of the affected community will be met. Emergency response officers have also established public kitchens and evacuation tents as well as provided psychosocial support services to achieve this end. (Antaranews)

The Fatmawati Central General Hospital (RSUP) has asked orthopedic patients in Indonesia to take advantage of the country's available and capable medical personnel instead of seeking treatment abroad.

"RSUP Fatmawati is really committed so that Indonesian people choose health services in the country only, without needing to go abroad, especially for quality orthopedic treatment here," the president director of RSUP Fatmawati Andi Saguni said here on Friday.

He informed that orthopedic treatment and medical rehabilitation are the top services offered at Fatmawati Hospital. The treatment quality may even be on par with that in ASEAN-level and Asia-level hospitals, he added.

Initially, he said, orthopedics services at Fatmawati Hospital were developed to serve people with disabilities caused by tuberculosis, spinal problems, or polio, among others.

Fatmawati Hospital is offering orthopedic surgery services and has introduced the first spinal endoscopy in Indonesia.

"We stress that we are ready to handle orthopedic cases that become a problem in Indonesia, not only in the Greater Jakarta area," he said.

Fatmawati Hospital is part of the national health system that needs to play a role in preventing people from choosing to seek treatment abroad, he added.

"Patients who need orthopedic treatment do not have to go abroad, like to Singapore and Malaysia. It is enough to be in the country," he said.

He further said his side is committed to ensuring that orthopedic services in Indonesia can be easily accessed by the public through service quality assurance.

"Because there are many dimensions, such as how the human resources, facilities, and infrastructure are. We expect the medical devices here, as well as the medicines, the referral system, and others, are already advanced," Saguni added.

Earlier, the Ministry of Health pushed the health technology transformation to help people get maximum services in the country without having to go abroad.

"The role of technology is used to transform health services so they can be carried out optimally in the country," Deputy Minister of Health Dante Saksono Harbuwono said in July 2022. (Antaranews)

Head of the National Esports Team Board for the 2023 Cambodia SEA Games, Tjahjono Prasetyanto, said that Indonesia’s esports team is aiming to bag four gold, three silver, and one bronze medal at the competition.

"We received a target of four gold, three silver, and one bronze in six events (for the 2023 SEA Games),” he informed at a press conference here on Friday.

According to him, the target is realistic because, in the 2022 Vietnam SEA Games, the national esports team brought home two golds, three silvers, and one bronze.

In 2022, at the IESF World Esports Championship in Bali, Indonesia bagged three golds in DOTA 2, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), and eFootball, and one bronze in CS:GO Women. It also emerged as the overall champion at the event.

To support the achievement of the target, the national team board and the Indonesian Esports Central Board (PBESI) have organized and carried out the selection of athletes and coaches.

Prasetyanto said that the national team has athletes and coaches who are competent and ready to train hard at the national training center for at least two to three months, starting from early February.

The evaluation at the national training center has included the diet of athletes that affects their physical health, among other things, he said.

The head coach of the Indonesian National Esports Team, Yohannes Paraloan Siagian, said that his side is optimistic about the team of players and coaches who will go to Cambodia later.

“This (coach) team works with the special and best athlete group. As many as 40 athletes who passed were very worthy and those who did not qualify were just as good,” Siagian said.

“The program focuses on physical training and in-depth introduction to athletes. We are using the national training system where they (the athletes) come from different teams," he added.

He further said that there will be strategic and technical preparations, followed by the finalization of strategies, the main teams, and the reserve teams. (Antaranews)