Republic of Indonesia – Patients with Hemophilia Travel Long Distances for Treatment

A couple of mothers with sons who have hemophilia recently shared their story with The Jakarta Post. Both mothers explained how much they had been accustomed to traveling due to the diagnosis of hemophilia that each of their sons have.  “He bruised easily and felt a lot of pain. After undergoing a series of tests and observation, he was diagnosed with hemophilia,” one mother told The Jakarta Post.

Due to a major lack of medical facilities to treat hemophiliacs in Indonesia, hospitals would have to invest in expensive equipment and hire hematologists to treat just a small number of people, according to Novie Amelia Chozie, the vice chair of the medical unit of the Indonesian Hemophilia Society (HMHI).

“There are only about 15 hematology consultants in Jakarta…We understand that hospitals cannot suffer financial losses, but hemophiliacs also have the right to standard medical treatment,” she said.

As of January, there were 308 registered hemophiliacs in Jakarta.  While getting and maintaining treatment may not be difficult for those living within the city limits, it still remains a major struggle for those on the outside of the city.

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