Like a silent killer, cancer can creep into your life and rob you of your well being, future or even a loved one. 



“We’ve experienced it ourselves,” said Adiati Arifin M. Siregar, president of Yayasan Kanker Indonesia (Indonesian Cancer Foundation). 



Her eldest son, Syahrul, passed away when he was only nine years old after a three-year battle with cancer. His untimely passing has left a deep ache in the hearts of his parents, former trade minister Arifin M. Siregar and his wife, Adiati. 



But instead of letting the pain and sadness incapacitate him, Arifin joined his friends and colleagues, Indonesian first vice president Dr. H. Mohammad Hatta, former minister of health Dr. Gerrit A. Siwabessy, former governor of Jakarta Ali Sadikin, and 13 other people to establish YKI. 



“I still remember it well,” Adiati said. “It was established on April 17, 1977, by 17 people.” 



The foundation was initially established to educate Indonesian people about cancer. “We conducted many education and training classes to recognize cancer’s early symptoms,” Adiati said. 



Since that day, YKI has broadened its mission. 



Today, the foundation is an affiliate of the Union for International Cancer Control and operates through 56 branches in Indonesia. 



Coordinating with hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and governmental bodies, the foundation has helped millions to treat and cure cancer. 



“We never give out any money,” said Dr. Melissa S. Luwia, MHA, vice president of the social services division of YKI. 



What the foundation provides, instead, is medical help and support for cancer patients and their families. 



In 1982 the foundation established Sasana Marsudi Husada (Marsudi Husada’s Place) in Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta, where cancer outpatients and their families from outside Jakarta can stay while undergoing treatment for cancer in the capital. 



“Many radiotherapy patients and their families stay for months there,” Adiati said. 



“It’s very low cost. They can get a room and meals for only Rp 30,000 a day.” 



The Sasana Marsudi Husada facility is also available in Bandung, Surabaya, Semarang, Palembang and Banjarmasin. 



YKI also provides cytostatic (chemotherapy) medicine for free to underprivileged cancer patients. 



“They have to meet certain requirements,” Melissa said. 



“They have to obtain a reference letter from an oncologist and a governmental hospital. And then, our team will survey their house to review their living conditions.” 



Since 1990, the foundation has also been approved by Direktorat Jenderal Pengawasan Obat dan Makanan (directorate general of food and drug supervision) to dispense cytostatic medicine at the net price in their headquarters in Jakarta. 



The price of cytostatic medicine dispensed at YKI is 30 percent lower than those dispensed at hospitals and pharmacies in Indonesia. 



“It means a lot for the patients,” Melissa said. “These drugs often cost hundreds of millions of rupiah [tens of thousands of dollars].” 



To be able to buy the medicine at YKI, patients have to bring in the original prescription from their oncologist and their patient registration card. 



In 1996, YKI launched the Hospice Home Care, a training program for caregivers of terminally ill cancer patients. 



“The program is aimed to improve the living condition of terminally ill patients, by alleviating their suffering and boosting their morale,” Melissa said. “It’s a program we provide to anyone for free by request.” 



In 1997, the foundation also launched the Reach to Recovery program, which enlists breast cancer survivors to support and encourage other women facing the same diagnosis. 



There are currently 135 breast cancer survivors involved in the program. 



“When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, she’s usually very stressed out,” Melissa said. “The group will help to support these women in undergoing their treatment and medication.” 



In 2000, the foundation launched the Indonesian Ostomy Association (InOA), aimed at helping and supporting the lives of ostomates. 



An ostomate is a person who has undergone an ostomy, a surgical procedure that creates an artificial opening in the body to allow for air or waste material to be passed out of the body. 



The surgery is often required by patients of colorectal and nasopharynx cancers. 



“Ostomates can survive for many years with help and supports from their friends and family members,” Melissa said. “They can live and work perfectly well.” 



While the foundation has excellent programs for cancer patients, as with any disease, prevention is always better than cure. 



“The World Health Organization has stated that one third of cancer cases can actually be prevented,” Melissa said. 



“Another one third can be detected, while the other cases are usually discovered at a later stage that requires intensive medication and treatment.” 



For early detection of cancer cases, YKI operates two clinics in Jakarta and one clinic in Palembang, which provide free consultation with general practitioners, as well as low-cost biopsies and other examination procedures. 



YKI also operates pap smear clinics in 14 cities in Indonesia. 



“Anyone can get cancer,” Adiati said. 



“However, you can reduce your risk factors by not smoking, avoiding exposure to UV rays and eating healthy food.”

source:  http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/lifestyle/a-helping-hand-in-living-with-the-big-c/398126

Tania Widyaningsih is only 28 years old, but she already has three children and is expecting her fourth in about two months. 



She says she is aware of the contraception options available to her, including the permanent ones, but prefers the more traditional techniques of withdrawal, counting the days in her menstrual cycle, or using a condom. 



She adds she once got an intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD), but stopped using it shortly after because she feared it would disrupt her menstrual cycle. 



“I know a lot about contraception, but I miscarried twice before I had my first child, so having a lot of children is actually bliss for me,” Tania tells the Jakarta Globe. 



Tania, who married at 20, says she frequently worries that she may not be able to provide her children with the proper care and attention, especially because she is a working mother. 



“I’m not too worried for now because my children are still young, and our parents help us a lot, but I’m a little worried about their future,” she says. 



Tania is not the only one, by far. Many Indonesians with a relatively high level of education don’t plan their families carefully, even though they know about contraception. 



More than 90 percent of Indonesians say they fully understand the importance and benefits of contraception, yet only 64 percent use it, according to the National Family Planning Coordinating Board (BKKBN). 



“That means almost 30 percent of those with knowledge about contraception don’t practice what they know, for various reasons,” says Sugiri Syarief, the BKKBN head. 



Biran Affandi, country representative for the Asia-Pacific Council on Contraception (APCOC), says contraception is crucial not just for preventing unwanted pregnancies, but also protecting women from a gamut of menstruation-related ailments and dicomforts. 



“Contraception, such as the pill, can shorten long periods and ease menstrual cramps,” he said at a press conference to mark World Contraception Day, which fell on Sept. 26. 



“It can also reduce the risk of ovarian cancer and pelvic inflammation.” 



Contraceptive pills contain hormones that prevent ovulation, thicken the cervical mucus — thus making it difficult for sperm to get through — and thin the lining of the womb, making it less receptive to eggs. 



These pills are highly effective in preventing pregnancy, but must be taken daily at around the same time each day and are known for side effects that include weight gain and pimples — although this varies from person to person. 



Biran, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Indonesia, says the number of people using contraception is not as high as it should be because many sexually active couples are not married. 



By law, contraception may only be prescribed for married couples, says Setya Edi, the director of service and guarantee for the BKKBN’s contraception unit. 



“For teens, we only provide information through peer trainers to prevent them from engaging in premarital sex,” he says. 



Despite this, an estimated 63 percent of Indonesia’s 65 million teenagers are sexually active, according to a 2008 BKKBN study, with 21 percent of the girls having experienced an abortion. 



The study also showed that 24 percent of teens who were sexually active understood about contraception but did not have access to it. 



Biran says he has treated many pregnant teenagers who ran into medical complications because their bodies could not take the strain of being pregnant. 



“It’d be ideal if we could stop them having sex, but if they’re doing it anyway, at least they should be safe,” he says. 



Setya agrees that birth control and family planning programs could be the best solution for the country’s social and welfare problems. 



“If the government was committed to implementing family planning programs, at least five of eight targets under the [UN-mandated] Millennium Development Goals would be achieved,” he says. 



Firman Lubis, the chairman of Indonesia Health Coalition (KUIS), says the indicator of a nation’s health is determined by its maternal and infant mortality rates. 



“Bringing down either parameter is highly dependent on the success of family planning programs,” he says.



“Contraception shouldn’t be a burden, it should be a necessity.”

source:  http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/health/long-term-contraception-lagging-as-sexually-active-singles-barred-access/398537

Jakarta. Having successfully negotiated the global financial crisis and subsequent recession, the Indonesian government should now set its sights on reducing poverty levels in the country, the World Bank said on Tuesday. 



“Indonesia, with its solid domestic consumption and strong capital inflows, for example, has secured the short-term requirements for it to achieve its targeted growth in the next several years,” Enrique Blanco Armas, the World Bank’s senior economist for Indonesia, said during a discussion. 



“So now would be a good time to focus on its more longer-term requirements, such as reducing the poverty rate.” 



Wijayanto, deputy rector of Paramadina University in Jakarta, said Indonesia was capable of achieving the president’s goal of 7 percent annual growth by 2014, but that the 8 percent barrier could only be broken if poverty rates were lower. 



“Indonesia would have to reduce its poverty rate to below 10 percent, maybe around 5 percent, if it wished to break the 8 percent growth rate,” said Wijayanto, who also spoke at the discussion. 



A July report from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) pegged Indonesia’s poverty rate at 13.3 percent. 



“The most effective way to reduce poverty rates is to provide poor people jobs that will support the development of the nation — infrastructure development, for example,” Wijayanto said. 



In 2009, Indonesia allocated about 3 percent of its GDP to infrastructure development. Wijayanto said that figure should ideally be 10 percent, which he said would be high enough to fund opportunities for the poor to participate. 



Shubham Chaudhuri, the World Bank’s lead economist for Indonesia, said that beyond providing jobs for the poor, improved infrastructure would also enhance connectivity, which would improve efficiency in urban areas and benefit the economy. 



Earlier this month, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said that reducing the poverty rate was one his administration’s four key economic policies. The others were boosting economic growth, creating jobs and protecting the environment. 



The House of Representatives is also working on a poverty eradication bill, which if passed would bring all of the government’s anti-poverty programs under one roof and also replace cash-aid schemes with employment-training programs. 



Despite enduring high poverty rates, Indonesia is still expecting ample growth. Analysts say growth could exceed 6 percent this year, up from 4.55 percent last year.

Source:  http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/business/indonesian-government-should-turn-attention-to-poverty-world-bank-says/398577

The Asian Development Bank raised its forecast for the region’s economic growth this year, crediting a rapid recovery in exports even as it warned the risk of another recession in advanced countries had not completely receded. 



The Manila-based development bank said on Tuesday it now expected developing Asia to grow 8.2 percent this year compared with a projection of 7.5 percent growth issued in April. The forecast, which did not include Japan, covered 44 developing and newly industrialized nations in Asia. 



It forecasts Indonesia’s economy will expand 6.1 percent this year, faster than the previous projection of 5.5 percent. 



“Overall, developing Asia’s recovery seems to have taken firm hold,” the ADB said in the report released in Hong Kong. 



Increased consumer and business spending as a result of government stimulus also played its part in the recovery from the financial crisis, it added. 



In predictions for individual economies, the ADB maintained its forecast of 9.6 percent growth for China, the world’s second-biggest economy. 



South Korea and Taiwan were raised to 6 percent and 7.7 percent respectively. India’s anticipated growth was edged up from 8.2 percent to 8.5 percent, although the bank warned about high inflation due to scant monsoon rains in 2009 that suppressed harvests. 



However, the ADB said governments should sustain the expansion by refraining from tightening fiscal and monetary policies “too quickly.” 



“Shifting too quickly to fiscal and monetary tightening could heighten the risk of another contraction,” it said in the report. 



India this month increased its benchmark interest rate for a fifth time this year. 



Thailand in August raised its key rate and signaled further increases after the economy overcame political unrest to grow faster than estimated last quarter. 



Taiwan, Malaysia and South Korea are also among those that have boosted borrowing costs. 



Indonesia’s benchmark rate has been at a historic low of 6.5 percent since August 2009. 



Developing Asian countries “are starting to raise interest rates, that means interest rate differentials between emerging Asia and industrialized countries will widen, that would attract more capital inflow,” said Jong-Wha Lee, the ADB’s chief economist. 



The capital inflow presented “potential risk to the global economy” and “another threat to financial stability” should there be fund reversal, he said. 



Meanwhile, inflation in Asia would generally be within central banks’ “comfort zones” and might average 4.1 percent in 2010 and 3.9 percent in 2011, the ADB said. 



The bank also warned about possible weakness in the United States, Europe and Japan, highlighting sluggishness in the American housing market and the risk of sovereign debt defaults in Europe. 



“The global recovery remains shaky, and downside risks lurk. The possibility of a double-dip recession in the major industrial economies has not receded completely,” the report said. 



The bank called for more flexibility in the exchange rates of emerging currencies, including China’s yuan. 



“I do think the emerging currencies in Asia need to be more flexible and probably need to appreciate against the G-3 currencies,” ADB president Haruhiko Kuroda said in reference to the US dollar, euro and yen. 



Kuroda made the comment when asked whether the yuan should appreciate, amid claims from the United States that China was undervaluing its currency to boost exports. 



“If you look at the US, Europe and Japan, their economies are recovering but their growth prospects in the medium to long-term are much lower than emerging Asia,” he said. 



“That means that some exchange rate realignment would be necessary and already realignment is occurring in many parts of Asia.” 



China pledged in June to loosen its grip on the yuan, which has been effectively pegged at about 6.8 to the dollar since mid-2008. 



The United States maintains that Beijing is keeping its currency artificially low against the dollar to make its exports more competitive, and is showing increasing signs of frustration over the long-running row. 



The US House of Representatives will this week vote on draft legislation that will open the way for retaliation against China over the yuan issue. 

source:  http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/business/adb-lifts-forecasts-for-asia-indonesia/398569

It is all about “Eat Pray Love.” Never mind that the movie, starring Julia Roberts, has failed to impress critics after premiering in the United States last month. This hasn’t stopped it from stealing the spotlight in the run-up to the 2010 Balinale International Film Festival. 



The annual showcase will take place in Bali from Oct. 12-17. “Eat Pray Love,” which was partly shot on the resort island, will be featured on the opening day of the festival, but the nationwide premiere will come a week earlier in Jakarta on Oct. 4. 



Based on US author Elizabeth Gilbert’s memoir about her travels to Italy, India and Indonesia on a journey of self-discovery, the film has been deemed by some as “too preachy,” “superficial” and showing “a shallow view of Eastern spirituality.” But none of the festival’s organizers attending the Balinale press conference on Thursday afternoon in Jakarta seemed any less enthusiastic despite the mixed reviews. 



And why should they? Even though some critics didn’t particularly like the film, the undeniable fact is that “Eat Pray Love” brought a lot of worldwide attention to Bali. 



The movie, produced by Dede Gardner and Brad Pitt of Plan B Entertainment, was the first major studio film ever shot in this country, and it allegedly contributed an estimated $12.5 million to the local economy. 



This is expected not only to have a positive effect in terms of tourist numbers, but the festival’s organizers were also optimistic and hopeful that Bali and Indonesia in general could become an interesting and lucrative location for international movie productions in the future. 



Festival founders Christine Hakim, a renowned Indonesian actress, and Deborah Gabinetti, were both on hand at the press conference. They agree that “Eat Pray Love” is a major step in the right direction in putting Bali on the filmmaking map by showing that successful productions can be shot here. 



“There have been concerns about bureaucracy and security, especially after the Bali bombings, but in the end, all obstacles were overcome,” said Christine, who also had a small role in the movie. 



“Of course we hope that through this film and also the Balinale festival, we can promote Indonesia, and it is our wish that Bali can one day become the film center of Asia,” she said. 



“Indonesia, with its 17,000 islands and more than 300 ethnic groups has great potential. Geographically speaking alone, there is nothing Indonesia can’t offer — we have tropical rainforests, we have mountains, we have the ocean.” 



Christine said about 300 locals worked on the production. “The art director of the film actually told me that his favorite crew was the Indonesian one.” 



Speaking about her own experience in the film, Christine said she initially wasn’t interested in auditioning for a role. 



“At that time, I was focusing on my father who was in the hospital and eventually passed away,” she said. “So I didn’t really care about the fact that ‘Eat Pray Love’ was going to be filmed in Bali. Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, even those names couldn’t get my attention.” 



In the end, it was Gabinetti who persuaded her to try out for a part in the film, and this is how she eventually ended up playing Wayan Nuriasih, a traditional Balinese healer. Once she got the part, she said she completely immersed herself in the project. 



“I just wanted to be professional about it, so during the time we were filming, I didn’t answer any phone calls or text messages,” she said. “And I didn’t even think about the fact that I was going to meet and work with Julia Roberts.” 



She had bigger things to worry about. “This was a role I had to speak English for, and ideally, I had to have the same pronunciation as a Balinese speaking English,” she said. 



However, Christine remembers her time on location as a pleasant experience. “On set, there was a lot of joking and laughter,” she said. “At times, it was even hard for the actors to concentrate on their work.” 



When the 53-year-old actress attended the US premiere of the film in August and walked down the red carpet alongside international celebrities — an experience that could be overwhelming to some — Christine said her main goal was to be a worthy representative of her country. 



“I wanted to take the opportunity to promote Indonesia abroad,” she said. “But at the same time I knew … that the international audience is probably more familiar with Bali [than Indonesia in general]. So I wore a traditional costume from Bali — after all this is where the film was shot.” 



She added that the Ministry of Culture and Tourism also did its part to highlight Indonesian culture during the premiere by organizing a demonstration on how to make batik and providing Indonesian cuisine. 



Despite all eyes being on “Eat Pray Love,” there are many other highlights at the Balinale not to be overlooked. 



“This year, I think, we have the best program to date,” Gabinetti said. 



“The short films that we reviewed were fantastic. We had a record number of submissions, and they were such creative and inspiring stories, interesting and unique, and so we are showing a series of short films — and I’m pleased to say that most of them are Indonesian.” 



Some other notable films on the ticket for the Balinale are “A Good Day to Die,” the award-winning documentary about the Native American resistance movement, the Chinese drama “Ocean Heaven” starring Jet Li, and the musical comedy “Bran Nue Dae” from Australia. 



Also three Indonesian feature films are on the schedule: “The Dreamer,” “7 Hearts, 7 Loves, 7 Women” and “I Know What You Did on Facebook.” 



“We try not only to entertain but also show films that inspire young Indonesians to tell their own stories,” Gabinetti said. 



For this reason, there will also be workshops for aspiring filmmakers as well as discussions with visiting directors and other experts from the industry. All these events are of equal importance to the festival’s organizers — even though nobody would blame them for keeping the spotlight on the big draw. 



“ ‘Eat Pray Love’ is a commercial success, and a film festival should not be based on commercial films,” Gabinetti said. 



“But this was an extremely important film for us, as they not only used the location but they used local talent and a local crew, so of course, we are going to feature that film.”





Tuesday, Oct. 12 

7:30 p.m. “Eat Pray Love” (US) 

8 p.m. “Eat Pray Love” (US) 



Wednesday, Oct. 13 

1 p.m. “I Know What You Did on Facebook” (Indonesia) 

2:30 p.m. “A Good Day to Die” (US) 

4:30 p.m. “As the Rain Was Falling” (France) and “Home by Christmas” (NZ) 

7 p.m. “Jesusito De Mi Vida” (Spain) and “Babies” (France) 

9 p.m. “Animal Kingdom” (Australia) 



Thursday, Oct. 14 

1 p.m. “Debt” (Indonesia), “Little Black Dress” (US), “Debris” (S. Korea) and “3 Onions” (Indonesia) 

2:30 p.m. “Me, Them & Lara” (Italy) 

4:30 p.m. “Initiation at Wangi-Wangi Island” (Indonesia) and “Made in India” (India/US) 

7 p.m. “Ocean Heaven” (China) 

9 p.m. “Stone” (US) 



Friday, Oct. 15 

1 p.m. “Transparente” (Belgium), Purnama di Pesisir (Indonesia), El Cortejo (Spain) and Anak Anak Lumpur (Indonesia) 

2:30 p.m. “7 Hearts, 7 Loves, 7 Women” (Indonesia) 

4:30 p.m. “The Big Happiness” (NZ) and “Exit Through the Gift Shop” (US/UK) 

7 p.m. “Poetry” (S. Korea) 

9 p.m. “The Social Network” (US) 



Saturday, Oct. 16 

10 a.m. “Manual Practico Del Amigo Imaginario” (Spain) and “Bran Nue Dae” (Australia) 



Sunday, Oct. 17 

10 a.m. “Birth” (S. Korea) and “The Dreamer” (Indonesia)