JAYAPURA - RSUD Jayapura recorded as many as 100 cancer patients had undergone chemotherapy at the hospital owned by the Papua Provincial Government.

This was revealed when the Acting Governor of Papua Dr. Ridwan Rumasukun, SE, MM accompanied the President Director of Dharmais Hospital dr. Seoko W. Nindito, MARS, when reviewing chemotherapy patient services at Jayapura Hospital, Monday (11/20/2023), as a release received by the editor.

The review was carried out after the signing of an MoU between the Papua Provincial Government and ten National Shelter Hospitals to help in a number of hospitals owned by the Papua Provincial Government and in districts/cities.

One of them, Dharmais Hospital is a National Cancer Center that will provide cancer services at Jayapura Hospital.

Participating in this visit were the Head of the Papua Health Office Dr. Robby Kayame, SKM, M.Kes, Head of Bappeda of Papua Yohanes Walilo, S.Sos, M.Si, and Head of the Organization Bureau of Papua Regional Secretariat as well as Acting Chairman of the Family Welfare Empowerment Team Linda S. Onibala, SE, MM.

For about an hour, the Acting Governor of Papua Ridwan Rumasukun and his entourage visited the Jayapura Regional Hospital, starting with a review of the progress of the construction of the radiotherapy bunker building which is being accelerated so that it can function at the end of December 2023.

In addition, Rumasukun also visited a number of cancer patients in the chemotherapy room, dialogue with them, gave reinforcement, and listened to medical treatment reports from the Jayapura Regional Hospital.

"How many days have you been here? I wish you a speedy recovery, mama," said Acting Governor Ridwan Rumasukun to one of the breast cancer patients in the chemotherapy room.

On that occasion, the Head of the Chemotherapy Unit of Jayapura Hospital, dr. Jan Frits Siauta, Sp.B(K)Onk in the presence of the Acting Governor of Papua and his entourage said, based on data throughout 2023, the number of cancer patients visiting Jayapura Hospital reached 100 people per month.

These patients come from 6 provinces in the Land of Papua, some are even referrals from abroad such as Singapore and Penang, Malaysia.

"On average, 80 percent of indigenous Papuans. This is certainly very worrying, so we expect to need to change healthy lifestyles, food, including the culture of eating areca nut which is at risk of cancer, "said Dr. Jan.

According to Dr. Jan, on the one hand, the Jayapura Hospital is certainly happy and proud that the Chemotherapy Unit is increasingly trusted in handling cancer patients. But on the other hand, with limited human resources of only two specialist doctors and the lack of supporting personnel, he admitted that his party was very overwhelmed in service. Not to mention the high cost of very expensive medicines, which hospitals have to provide.

"The CT scan tool has been broken for almost two years. Then, in mammography, the tools are there but the building is damaged so that it cannot be used. Likewise, ultrasound is damaged".

Director of Jayapura Hospital drg. Aloysius Giyai, M.Kes said the Ministry of Health has expressed willingness to help and is planned to arrive in January 2024.

In addition, in supporting cancer treatment, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin during a visit to Jayapura Regional Hospital, on Wednesday, October 11, 2023, has also promised to give radiotherapy equipment and medical physicists, radiation oncology specialists, and physiotherapists.

"We will design this building into a Super VVIP Chemotherapy room so that patients from officials or private people do not need to leave Papua to do chemotherapy. But we are speeding up for the banker building so that the end of the year is already functioning, " said Aloysius. ***