Helping 4 Children with Severe Illnesses, Social Affairs Minister Suggests Routine Therapy and Encourages Interaction

BEKASI (June 24, 2023) - There was laughter on the face of Ziban (7) when Social Affairs Minister Tri Rismaharini played a toy robot in front of him. In the arms of Dayyinah (27) - his mother, this child with hydrocephalus responded to what Social Affairs Minister Risma was doing.

"Eh, laugh. Come on, try to hold it, Ziban," said Social Affairs Minister Risma to the boy from Indramayu. Social Affairs Minister continues to invite Ziban to interact. While entertaining Ziban, she occasionally talked with his mother.

"He's starting to get aroused, Mom. I give him a toy, he laughs. I invited him to talk, he responded. Keep interacting at home," the Minister advised Dayyinah.

In addition to suggest to intensely invite the child to interact, the Minister also asked her staff to help Ziban's parents bring him to routine therapy.

"Please, help bring this to physiotherapy, so that routine therapy is carried out. It's still small, it should still be treated," Risma told her staff.

Information about Ziban's condition was received by the Minister of Social Affairs from the media. Last March, the "Phalamarta" Center in Sukabumi was instructed by the Minister of Social Affairs to assist Ziban's treatment at Indramayu Regional Hospital. Currently, Ziban's treatment process is still under the Center's supervision.

Ziban comes from a poor family. Ziban's daily needs depend on the income of his father, Ade Iwan. The 32-year-old man is a casual laborer with an uncertain income.

Ziban, who has suffered from hydrocephalus since birth, was operated on at Gunung Jati Hospital in Cirebon three years ago at the initiative of a social community. Post-surgery, Ziban is required to undergo routine control and therapy. However, due to financial constraints, the therapy was not continued.

To help to support medical expenses and needs during Ziban's treatment, the Minister of Social Affairs collaborated with kitabisa.com. According to him, the recovery needs for people with severe illness is so huge and that is not enough if only use BPJS.

"It cannot only be supported by BPJS. Therefore, the Ministry of Social Affairs is working with kitabisa to help to ease the burden on these parents for the treatment of their children," she said.

Risma said the Ministry of Social Affairs and kitabisa had their respective contributions in providing assistance. "Our kitabisa friends help with the donations. We at the Ministry of Social Affairs provide food, vitamins and other basic needs, their needs outside of treatment for support," she said.

To Ziban, the Minister handed over kitabisa.com donations worth Rp70,154,161 and Social Rehabilitation Assistance (ATENSI) worth Rp16,500,000 managed by the "Phalamarta" Center in Sukabumi. His parents were also given entrepreneurial capital in the form of 2 goats and a coffee shop.

Apart from Ziban, three children with severe illnesses from other regions also received assistance at the same location. Kharunia Mutiara Ainisa received a kitabisa.com donation worth IDR 54,125,530 and ATENSI assistance worth IDR 39,200,000 managed by the "Pangudi Luhur" Integrated Center in Bekasi. The 3-year-old girl from Batam suffers from stage 3 eye cancer.

Meanwhile, Hilya Nauril Fatihah (3), an eye tumor sufferer from Bogor, received kitabisa.com donations worth Rp149,449,111 and ATENSI assistance worth Rp48,032,439 managed by the "Galih Pakuan" Center in Bogor.

Meanwhile, Al Qori Ramadhan (1), an anencephaly or incomplete skull patient from West Kalimantan, received kitabisa.com donations worth Rp55,327,267 and ATENSI assistance worth Rp22,500,000 managed by the "Antasena" Center in Magelang.