Babies Die & Elites Plunder

A child death through lack of money in one of the world's most resource rich countries.

Today's post is not a nice one, a child died this week in what is arguably the most resource rich country in South East Asia. Yet this nation is more concerned about who raised what flag or what people pray for or what they do in their bedrooms. Everyone should feel ashamed such self serving, callous creatures are walking about in our community.

The Jakarta Post reported yesterday

An 8-month-old infant died over the weekend after she had been denied admittance to two hospitals and “was treated late” in the third due to her parents’ financial condition." They required an advance payment of Rp 500,000 [US$56.5] for administrative costs and set a rate of Rp 500,000 per day for inpatient care and doctors’ fees.

I did not admit [my daughter] because I could not afford it,” he said on Monday. Martin and his wife then took Nisza to the Handayani Hospital but it rejected them and referred them to RS MAL, arguing that it did not have adequate medical equipment to treat Nisza. Arriving close to 3 p.m. at MAL hospital, he said, they were again asked to pay a down payment of Rp 500,000 to have Nisza treated. Martin only had Rp 250,000. RS MAL director Zakaria Ansyori said the hospital did require inpatient patients to pay a down payment. “We admitted her anyway even though the family paid less than required. As is the norm, we gave her medicine according to the instruction of our pediatrician,” Zakaria said.

Full Story here:

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/10/25/ill-infant-dies-after-hospitals-reject-her.html

This story is sadly not unusual in Indonesia, hospitals routinely demand payment in advance and refuse treatment to the those who cannot afford it and actually have the nerve (and the power) to sue those who dare question their methods.

The question is why are those responsible for not treating and turning the infant's parents away not in detention right now?

Why does the Health Minister still have job? Although the previous Health Minister had no trouble finding the money to get hospital treatment overseas, does anyone know who paid for that).

In a country where the rich and politically connected openly flaunt their wealth in the most obscene and tasteless manner, stories like this border are just plain obscene. One has to wonder if these elitist parasites even notice those whom they are supposed to protect and serve. One assumes not or they would take far more note of current events and the rising tides of resentment across the world.

Next time you are out and about take note of the conditions of the hospitals and schools in your area and when one of the parasites comes pleading for your vote to enrich him/herself. Throw it's offered gratuity on the ground but not before you have spat on it.

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