Day: March 9, 2022

The Health Ministry has advised routine health screening from the age of 15 years so that non-communicable diseases, including kidney disorders, can be detected and treated early.

Acting director general of prevention and control of non-communicable diseases at the ministry, Dr. Elvieda Sariwati, MEpid, said that kidney disorders can cause kidney failure if discovered too late. Late detection also leads to lack of proper treatment, she said.

“Early detection starts at the age of 15. Early detection for the public (can be done through) the Integrated Development Post. This activity aims to detect early risk diseases for chronic kidney disease, including hypertension, diabetes, and obesity,” she informed at a virtual press conference on Wednesday.

A screening would involve interviews related to risk factors for non-communicable diseases for self and family; measurement of weight, height, and abdominal circumference to determine body mass index (BMI) and the possibility of central obesity; and blood sugar and blood pressure checks, she said.

It also includes identification of risk factors for non-communicable diseases, information dissemination, and follow-up in the form of referrals to First Level Health Facilities in the event risk factors are found, she added.

“So, it can be detected from the start. Early examination for healthy ones is at least once a year,” Sariwati said.

The government, through the Health Ministry, is currently conducting a transformation in the health sector, and one of the efforts to achieve this is improving primary health services by focusing on promotive and preventive efforts, she disclosed.

The target population includes those who are healthy and those who are at risk, she said. For those who are healthy, i.e., do not have symptoms of disease, efforts to promote a healthy lifestyle are being conducted so they stay healthy and avoid the risk of diseases, she said.

As for who are already at risk, primary prevention is being conducted through early detection of risk factors and disease so that the disease can be overcome, she informed. People with health conditions are being treated as best as possible to prevent their condition from worsening, she said.

“The diseases that underlie chronic kidney disease are hypertension and diabetes. Health services for hypertension and diabetes patients (include) early detection to (monitor conditions) so that patients are actively taking treatment so that their blood pressure and blood sugar are controlled; thus they (do not experience) complications,” she added.

In addition to health screening, she also advised the public to adopt a healthy lifestyle so that they do not contract non-communicable diseases, including kidney disease, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, by following a balanced diet to reduce risk, performing physical activities in a safe manner, and avoiding smoking and alcoholic beverages.

Meanwhile, director of health promotion and community empowerment at the Health Ministry, Dr. Imran Agus Nurali, Sp.KO., revealed that currently, Indonesia is facing health challenges related to non-communicable diseases.

The incidence of such diseases has been increasing since 2010 due to diet, parenting, movement patterns, and eating patterns such as consumption of foods with high calories, low fiber, high salt, high sugar, and high fat, he said.

Nurali listed sedentary lifestyle, consumption of junk or fast food, lack of physical activity, stress, and lack of rest as triggers for hypertension, diabetes, obesity, cancer, heart disease, and hypercholesterolemia.

Source: Antara News

State-owned airport operator Angkasa Pura I (AP I) of Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport forecasts the average daily passenger count at the airport to increase after COVID-19 testing is no longer necessitated for domestic travelers (PPDN).

Since March 8, the airport has not required PPDN, who have received the second or third dose of COVID-19 vaccine, to show a negative result of the RT-PCR test or COVID-19 rapid antigen test in accordance with the Circular Letter of the Ministry of Transportation Number 21 of 2022.

“With the relaxation of this regulation, we believe we will be able to increase the passenger traffic and aircraft movements at Bali Airport,” Stakeholder Relations Manager of AP I at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport Taufan Yudhistira noted on Wednesday.

With the new regulation in place, the average number of daily passengers at the airport is projected to increase by 20 percent, he stated.

“For now, we have not seen the increase in the number of passengers since the new regulation was only implemented yesterday afternoon. We were certain that in the next two to three days, we can see the positive impact of the policy,” he noted.

Yudhistira explained that although the COVID-19 test regulation was revoked, his side still implemented strict health protocols to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, especially in the airport area.

He later remarked that passengers, who had only received the first dose of vaccination, were still required to show the negative result of their RT-PCR test or swab antigen test.

Hence, his side still provides COVID-19 test services, both antigen and PCR methods, in the airport area to facilitate airline passengers, who still need COVID-19 tests as travel requirements.

“We will continue to enforce strict health protocols. We also continue to assign an operational team to remind all airport service users to always implement health protocols,” he concluded.

Source: Antara News

Confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in the region drastically plummeted, from the previous figure, ahead of the 2022 MotoGP Series in Mandalika, NTB, the Government of Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, (NTB) stated.

“The count of COVID-19 cases in Central Lombok has dropped,” Head of the Central Lombok Health Service Suhardi noted on Wednesday.

Based on the data recorded, the total number of positive COVID-19 patients being treated reached 257 from January to February, while 141 patients recovered and 12 people succumbed to the disease.

“Those still being treated are only three percent, or four patients,” Suhardi stated.

He attributed the decline in the number of additional cases of COVID-19 patients to the acceleration in vaccination coverage, thereby creating stronger immunity in the community.

In addition, the increase in public awareness to implement health protocols also caused the decline in additional cases of COVID-19.

“Many factors, such as vaccination, health protocols, and weather change, have contributed to the decline in cases,” he noted.

According to Suhardi, the number of residents in Central Lombok that had received the first dose of vaccination reached 706,429 people, or 91 percent, while people, who had been fully vaccinated, totaled 598,531, or 77 percent.

“Meanwhile, the booster vaccine coverage reached only 1.91 percent. We will continue to encourage people to participate in the booster vaccination,” he remarked.

Suhardi also appealed to the public to continue to implement health protocols despite a decline in the number of COVID-19 cases.

“Health protocols must not be relaxed. People must continue to wear masks,” he emphasized.

Public Relations of the COVID-19 Handling Task Force at the Praya Regional General Hospital, Dr. Yuda Permana, noted that of the 257 positive patients confirmed by the PCR swab, a sharp decline was observed in the first week of March, with some 161 patients, or 62 percent.

“Thank God, entering the first week of March, the decline in cases was very sharp, and the Bed Occupancy Ratio (BOR) was below 10 percent. Only four beds were occupied,” he affirmed.

Source: Antara News

The number of Indonesian citizens who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 has reached 148.98 million as of Wednesday, according to the COVID-19 Handling Task Force.

According to task force data, the number of fully vaccinated citizens or those who have received two doses of the vaccine increased by 402,204 on Wednesday to reach 148,989,922.

Meanwhile, as many as 148,944 residents received their first vaccine dose on Wednesday, taking the total number of first dose recipients to 192,412,648.

In addition, the number of people who received the booster or third dose rose by 316,533 to touch 13,163,845, the task force’s data showed.

As part of efforts to boost community immunity against COVID-19, the Indonesian government launched a nationwide vaccination program on January 13, 2021, targeting as many as 208,265,720 citizens.

So far, the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine has been administered to 92.38 percent of the 208,265,720 targeted recipients.

Meanwhile, the second dose has been administered to 71.53 percent of the targeted recipients.

Earlier, spokesperson of the COVID-19 Handling Task Force Wiku Adisasmito has asked regional governments to increase coordination with the central government so that the existing vaccine stocks can be maximally used and not wasted.

“The main key to maximizing the use of vaccines that are already available is good planning that includes logistics, vaccinator personnel, and redistribution to other areas that need the vaccines,” the spokesperson explained.

The first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Indonesia in March 2020. According to data from the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, as of March 9, 2022, Indonesia has recorded a total of 5,826,589 COVID-19 cases, 5,258,235 recoveries, and 151,135 deaths.

Source: Antara News