Reviewing Floating Hospitals In Labuan Bajo Waters, Minister Of Health Expects The Continuous Ship Hospital Program

The Terapung Ksatria Airlangga Hospital (RSTKA). (ANTARA/HO-Humas Unair)

Minister of Health (Menkes) Budi Gunadi Sadikin conducted a review of the Airlangga Knight Floating Hospital (RSTKA) at the Labuan Bajo waters pier, West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

"The Ministry of Health wants to provide equal and best access for all Indonesian people, including communities in remote areas," said the Minister of Health in a statement in Jakarta, Sunday, September 10, which was confiscated by Antara. The Minister of Health said that one of the efforts made was through the Minister of Health Regulation (Permenkes) No. 33 of 2023 concerning Ship Hospitals which aims to provide legal protection for organizers, medical personnel and health workers in organizing ship hospitals, as well as become legal umbrellas so that ship hospitals services can be financed by BPJS.

According to him, Indonesia as an archipelagic country is greatly helped by the presence of the Ship Hospital as an effort to provide services to communities in areas that are still difficult to reach by health care facilities, so that easy access to health is not only centered in big cities. "This regulation will facilitate government intervention in supporting services at Ship hospitals, as well as government programs will also be very likely to be included in the health care program here," said Minister of Health Budi. Minister of Health hopes that the implementation of Ship Hospitals can be a continuous program, so that equitable access to quality health services in Indonesia can be achieved. In the same statement, the President Director of RSTKA, Agus Harianto revealed that with the Minister of Health Regulation on Ship Hospital, it is hoped that more people can reach islands in obtaining health services and can inspire other institutions to participate in building health services on board.

"I hope that with this regulation, health services for the people of the islands will be faster and more and more will be helped. Hopefully, what we have done can be an example for other institutions to help build Ship Hospitals and provide services on more than 17,000 islands in Indonesia," Agus said. For information, RSTKA has been operating since 2013. During the five years running, RSTKA has provided thousands of services, including 1,237 stunting screening services, screening of congenital heart disease for 378 patients, ANC and ultrasound services to 998 patients.

In addition, RSTKA has also provided poly-specific services, such as the ear of the throat of the neck of the neck of the neck surgery (THTBKL) in 1,221 patients, neurology to 661 patients, dermatovenelogies to 467 patients, eye specialist services including catatric surgery as many as 213 patients and pterygium operations to 96 patients. Other spectiistic services include internal services for 320 patients, medical rehabilitation to 137 patients, surgical services as many as 89 patients, distribution of hearing aids for 14 patients, and circuittion services for 33 patients. Several other Ship Hospitals that are currently actively operating provide health services in remote areas, including Dr. Lie Dharmawan's Apung doctor SHARE Hospital, and Terapung Hospital belonging to the Indonesian Navy. Some of the health services carried out on board the Ship Hospital include general services, maternal and baby mortality services, maternal and child health services, ultrasound actions to early detection operations through congenital heart disease screening, stunting screening, as well as various training for health workers in remote areas.