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Press Releases | Batam Report Vol. 10

Medical Voluntary Services

With Batam proving to be the popular investment destination for industrial and tourism sectors in Southeast Asia, the island has also grown in population. This growth of population provides the necessary workforce for many industries, services, and resorts.

Batam is the home for 570,000 people with 170,000 workers in the formal sector and approximately 70,000 workers in non-formal areas. This provides a very dynamic and progressive composition to the population. I however, with the population growing so rapidly, there are some social concerns with health care, housing, and other public or social facilities. Many facilities have been developed to accommodate to different needs of continuities, which include places of worship, sport facilities, markets, recreation areas, and hospitals or community health clinics.

Currently, Batam has 8 (eight) hospitals, the Public hospital operated by the Batam Industrial Development Authority (BIDA). Harapan Bunda I hospital, and Budi Kemuliaan I hospital as well as 5 (five) public Health Centres and 19 (nineteen) public Health Clinics scattered throughout Batam that provide medical treatment and Health information to the residents of Batam.

I health clinics are the frontline of medical treatment to most residents in Batam. However, when there are further treatments required, they have to obtain the extra medical services from one of the hospitals. To some of the population who are not insured, some serious treatments can be very costly and unattainable, such as those involving major surgeries and laboratory examinations.

Therefore, aware of the importance of health and medical treatment on the island, an International Foundation called Budha T u Chi has extended their hand. and together with B1 DA Public Hospital and Batam's Office of, Health Services, organized a Community Health Service on March 9-10, 2002. This community service is provided for the lowincome Community in Batam and other surrounding islands. The BIDA Public Hospital contributed through the provision and usage of medical equipment, operating theatres, and medical experts; while the Batam Office of Health Services distributed the information regarding the free medical service through all Public Health Clinics in Batam.

More than 1,500 people from Batam and neighbouring islands sought treatment from this community health service. Various medical treatments were performed by the service, which included surgeries for harelip, cataract and hernia, and treatment for dental problems. Some also used this opportunity to serve the community through blood donations.

More than 120 volunteers of medical doctors and experts were involved in this program, not only from Indonesia but also from Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore.

Besides the above joint program, the BIDA Public I hospital has also conducted regular community programs. These activities involve regular programs for free, such as blood donation, children immunization, and even religious circumcision.

BIDA has put priorities as well to care for the needy in Batam, and is strongly encouraged by the Buddha Tzu Chi Foundation which is concerned for the local community in Batam. Good and healthy living will certainly bring Batam to a safer, more comfortable and healthier environment for everybody.