[Kabar-indonesia] JP: 22, 000 disabled children neglected in ENT [+Patients swamp

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hospitals]

4 articles:

- 22,000 disabled children neglected

- Diarrhea patients swamp hospitals

- Dozens of buffaloes die of poisoning

- Jambi hit by kerosene shortage

The Jakarta Post
Thursday, November 2, 2006

22,000 disabled children neglected

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: At least 22,000 disabled
children in East Nusa Tenggara have been neglected due to
the absence of attention from parents, the local
administration and humanitarian institutions, says a forum
for the disabled.

Most of them live in poverty and are deprived of basic
education.

"They are like young chickens without their mothers who are
treated differently," Benny Jahang, chairman of the East
Nusa Tenggara chapter of the Communication Forum for
Disabled Children, said Wednesday.

"One solution to the problem would be for the government to
provide formal education for them and to increase the number
of schools for the disabled," said Rev. Adriana, secretary
of the forum.

Meanwhile, East Nusa Tenggara Governor Piet A. Tallo on a
separate occasion deplored the condition of disabled
children in the province.

"The administration will pay more serious attention to their
plight," he pledged.

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The Jakarta Post
Thursday, November 2, 2006
Diarrhea patients swamp hospitals

PALEMBANG, South Sumatra: An increasing number of diarrhea
patients, mostly children suffering from dehydration, were
seen in Palembang hospitals Wednesday.

At Muhammad Husin Hospital, for example, of its 27 rooms 20
were occupied by patients with diarrheal disease, including
several children under five. Siti Khadijat Hospital,
Muhammadiyah Hospital and Charitas Hospital had at least six
patients each with diarrhea-related illnesses.

Marianti Asyik, head of Muhammad Husis Hospital, said
Wednesday that the outbreak of diarrheal disease, similar to
one in the 1970s, was possibly caused by contaminated food
the children consumed during Idul Fitri festivities.
Erni, the mother of a toddler named Erwin, said she was not
aware of what her son may have eaten, but admitted she had
traveled a lot during the holiday to visit relatives.

"As I didn't know the cause of my child's illness, I brought
him here a few days ago, Erni said at the hospital.

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The Jakarta Post
Thursday, November 2, 2006

Dozens of buffaloes die of poisoning

JAMBI, Jambi: Dozens of buffaloes died in three villages in
Tebo Tengah regency here over the last few days, possibly
due to poisoning from toxic waste from a nearby palm oil
factory.

Most of the buffaloes died after they drank from nearby
Kilis Kecil River. "At least 20 buffaloes died after
drinking the river water recently," Hamalini, head of Sungai
Keruh village, said Wednesday.

Suprapto of Tebo Tengah Agriculture Office acknowledged that
most of the buffaloes showed signs of poisoning. He said
that samples of the animals' organs had been sent for
laboratory tests in Padang, West Sumatra.

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The Jakarta Post
Thursday, November 2, 2006

Jambi hit by kerosene shortage

JAMBI, Jambi: A severe kerosene shortage has hit
Tanjungjabung Timur regency in Jambi, forcing residents to
cook using wood-fired stoves.

"Because the supply of kerosene is dwindling, the residents
have to use wood to cook," Taher, a resident, said Tuesday.

The shortage of kerosene began three days before last
Tuesday's Idul Fitri holiday.

No statement on the shortage was available from state oil
company Pertamina, which is in charge of meeting the
kerosene demand.

Not a single retail depot selling kerosene was open as of
Tuesday.

"The residents are ready to buy kerosene at whatever price
is set by the sellers," Taher said, adding that the
commodity was sold at Rp 4,000 per liter several days before
Idul Fitri.

By comparison the price set by the government is only Rp 870
(9 US cents) per liter.

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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