BARITO KUALA (June 13, 2024) - Indonesian Minister of Social Affairs, Tri Rismaharini paid special attention to the handling of people with mental disorders (ODGJ), lepers, people with physical disabilities, and children with special needs by holding a social service. The social service that took place in Barito Kuala Regency, South Kalimantan, on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, involved medical and health workers consisting of general practitioners, skin and genital specialists, psychiatric specialists, therapists, social workers, nurses, audiometrists, and psychologists.

“Apart from providing assistive devices, the most important thing for physical disabilities is therapy. That's why we brought all the Ministry of Social Affairs therapists throughout Indonesia here,” said Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini when attending the Social Services in Barito Kuala Regency.

Social Affairs Minister Risma said that the Ministry of Social Affairs had handled people with disabilities who had been sitting in wheelchairs for 28 years, after undergoing therapy it turned out that they could recover and walk again. There are also people with disabilities who have been 8 years and even 19 years sitting in a wheelchair, after undergoing therapy they can walk again. “So, the power of the therapist is very good to restore health and maybe change someone's way of life,” added Social Affairs Minister Risma.

In the social service, the Minister of Social Affairs handed over assistance in the form of hearing aids, bracelets for the master of speech deaf (gruwi), magnifying glasses, prosthetic legs, crutches, wheelchairs, children's wheelchairs, cerebral palsy wheelchairs, electric wheelchairs, and standard wheelchairs. In addition, special shoes to restore bone function (AFO), TPA, three-legged sticks, four-legged sticks, ordinary blind sticks, 300 food packages, nutrition packages, personal hygiene tools, clothing, 100 children's toy packages, and 100 children's food packages were also provided.

On this occasion, Social Affairs Minister Risma reminded the public to get used to drinking cooked water to maintain health. “Drinking water that is not cooked will have a great risk for our health. If we drink uncooked water, the E. coli bacteria in the water can enter our bodies and cause various diseases,” said Social Affairs Minister Risma.