A cataract can occur in either or both eyes, and does not spread from one eye to the other.
Cataract surgery is an option that involves removing the eye's cloudy lens and replacing it with an artificial lens.
On Friday, a cataract operation was performed at Gatot Subroto hospital in Jakarta as part of a charitable mission, organized by the Indonesian Ophthalmologists Association (Perdami) in cooperation with PT Sidomuncul.
Such surgeries are supported by Vice President Boediono as a treatment to avoid blindness and improve the quality of individuals` lives.
"I fully support it because people with cataracts who undergo the operation are able to regain their eyesight," the vice president said during a cataract operation at the Gatot Subroto hospital.
The vice president noted that financial assistance for cataract operations was offered to cataract patients several years ago because so many people did not have money to pay for the operation.
"Now the target to operate on 12,000 cataract patients has been reached and, therefore, we hope it will be increased in the future with support from the Ministry of Health and private parties," Boediono said.
He noted that assistance to pay for cataract operations also comes from the National Defense Forces (TNI) and mass organizations.
"I hope support can also come from the regional level, in order to increase the number of cataract patients who can be operated on," Boediono said.
When witnessing the similar free cataract surgery program at Ciptomangunkusumo hospital in November last year, the vice president recalled that many Indonesians continue suffering from such diseases.
During his visit, Boediono said he also appreciated PT Sido Muncul, which in 2011 funded the operation of 6,000 cataract patients in cooperation with the Perdami, several eye hospitals, and clinics across the country.
The vice president also expressed his support for the cataract eradication movement begun by entrepreneurs.
"I fully support and appreciate this cataract eradication movement," the vice president said, adding that the government would also support the initiative.
According to the vice president, the government would pay serious attention to meeting the need of ophthalmologists in various regions across the country by creating scholarship programs for eye specialists and procuring medical equipment for cataract operations in the regions.
Meanwhile, Perdami chairperson Nila F. Moeloek said that 240,000 Indonesians suffer from cataracts each year, while 160,000 Indonesians underwent cataract operations in 2011.
She noted that in the future, 2 million Indonesians were likely to suffer from cataracts and, if this occurs, it would represent the highest figure in Southeast Asia.
Therefore, Perdami will continue to conduct cataract eradication campaigns by encouraging cataract patients not to be fearful of cataract surgery.
But Health Minister Nafsiah Mboy said Indonesia still lacked eye doctors, both at the central and regional levels.
"There are now around 1,100 eye doctors, but 54 percent of them are in Java, and therefore the number must be spread evenly to the regions," the health minister noted.
According to PT Sidomuncul President Director Irwan Hidayat, 12,000 cataract patients were operated on in 2012. On Friday, 5 patients underwent cataract surgery at Gatot Subroto hospital and 43 patients had surgery at Cikampek hospital in West Java.
"From 2011 until the end of 2012, the Indonesian Ophthalmologists Association and PT Sidomuncul have operated on 18,068 patients," Irwan noted.
Also, he said the cataract operation charitable mission, organized by PT Sidomuncul and the Indonesian Ophthalmologists Association, has been held in 25 provinces and 105 cities in 149 hospitals since 2011.
Cataract problems are also the concern of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI), which allocated Rp1 billion for free surgery for poor people across the country in 2012.
"The funds were allocated to finance cataract surgery for 500 patients across Indonesia this year," said PMI Chairman Jusuf Kalla
at PKU Muhammadiyah Hospital in Yogyakarta in March this year.
After viewing a free cataract operation for a patient needing financial assistance at the hospital, the former vice president said the Indonesian Red Cross created the free cataract surgery program in cooperation with numerous Indonesian hospitals.
"The free cataract operation program of the PMI is meant to help ease the burden of poor cataract patients, because the cost for the surgery is very high," Kalla noted.
He pointed out that the PMI, in cooperation with PKU Muhammadiyah Hospital, has conducted free cataract operations for 50 patients in Yogyakarta.
The operations were carried out in three stages: the first for 10 patients, the second for 20 patients, and the third was also for 20 patients.
Kalla noted that as a humanitarian organization, the PMI would continue to provide humanitarian assistance in any situation to all people, no matter their religion, race, ethnicity, skin color, or gender.(O001/KR-BSR/A014)
Reporter: Otniel
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
