Sejam Satu Wanita Meninggal karena Kanker Serviks

YOGYAKARTA--Setiap jam satu wanita Indonesia meninggal dunia akibat kanker leher rahim (serviks), sedangkan di Asia Pasifik setiap empat menit, dan di dunia setiap dua menit."Prevalensi kanker serviks di Indonesia mencapai 90-100 kasus per 100 ribu penduduk, di mana ditemukan 200.000 kasus baru setiap tahunnya," kata pakar penyakit kandungan dari Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) Dr Hasto Wardoyo SpOG di Yogyakarta, Senin.

Menurut dia, pada seminar Kanker Serviks dan Pencegahannya, kanker serviks menjadi penyakit kanker terbanyak di negeri ini, dan hampir 70 persen telah mencapai stadium lanjut karena umumnya pasien sudah menderita lebih dari stadium IIB."Wanita Indonesia yang berisiko menderita kanker serviks pada usia 15-61 tahun mencapai 58 juta orang, sedangkan pada usia 10-14 tahun sekitar 10 juta wanita mengalami kasus yang sama," katanya.

Ia mengatakan, perjalanan kanker leher rahim dari pertama kali terinfeksi hingga menjadi kanker memerlukan waktu sekitar 10-15 tahun, sehingga penderita kanker serviks sebagian besar berusia lebih dari 40 tahun."Kanker serviks dapat dialami siapa saja yang pernah berhubungan seksual dengan orang yang terinfeksi Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Infeksi HPV tidak menunjukkan gejala sehingga tidak disadari kehadirannya, dan dapat bertahan lama meskipun tidak melakukan hubungan seksual lagi," katanya.

Menurut dia, faktor risiko kanker serviks terjadi jika para penderita sering berganti pasangan seksual, melakukan hubungan seksual pada usia kurang dari 20 tahun, kebiasaan merokok, kondisi saat menurunnya sistem kekebalan tubuh, dan adanya riwayat dari ibu maupun saudara perempuan yang terkena kanker serviks sebelumnya."Banyaknya kejadian yang menimpa wanita Indonesia dalam kasus kanker serviks itu dibandingkan dengan para wanita di negara maju, karena kurangnya kesadaran para wanita untuk mencegah berkembangnya penyakit itu," katanya.

Padahal, kanker serviks merupakan salah satu jenis kanker yang paling dapat dicegah dan disembuhkan dari semua jenis kanker, asalkan penyakit tersebut diketahui pada stadium dini, sehingga deteksi dini merupakan hal yang sangat penting.Meskipun pada stadium dini penyakit itu tidak tampak dan tidak dirasakan gejalanya, pada stadium lanjut penderita kanker serviks dapat melihat gejala seperti terjadinya perdarahan setelah melakukan hubungan seksual, munculnya keputihan, perdarahan setelah menopause, keluar cairan kekuningan berbau yang bercampur dengan darah.
"Keberhasilan pengobatan kanker leher rahim besar jika diketahui pada stadium dini," katanya.

Ia mengatakan deteksi dini untuk mencegah kanker serviks dapat dilakukan dengan cara pemberian vaksin secara berkala setiap tiga tahap pemberian, yakni pada bulan ke-0, pertama atau kedua, dan enam. Selain itu, skrining juga menjadi alternatif bagi deteksi dini penyakit tersebut. "Vaksinasi dengan skrining melalui pap-smear bersama-sama dapat mengurangi kejadian kanker serviks secara efektif," katanya. ant/kpo

By Republika Newsroom
Selasa, 03 November 2009 pukul 00:37:00

Indonesia Insurance Information

Indonesia is a vast archipelago that contains the fourth most populous country in the world and the largest range of biodiversity on the planet. Rife with natural resources, investment opportunity, and fascinating culture, Indonesia's 17,508 islands have been attracting expatriates since its economy began to boom in the early 1980s. Located in Southeast Asia and bordering Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and East Timor, Indonesia is advantageously situated for travel and trade. With both a fascinating contemporary culture and a history that extends back 500,000 years to the time of “Java Man,” Indonesia is one of the most exciting places to visit today.

Some of the oldest Homo erectus fossils were unearthed in Indonesia and named the “Java Man”. The more recent peoples of Indonesia originated from an Austronesian race that likely migrated to the islands of Indonesia from Taiwan Around two millennia ago, Indonesia began to partake in the circuitous trade routes of Southeast Asia. First doing business with China and then with Indian and Middle Eastern merchants, Indonesia embraced outside cultural influences and therefore developed a fascinating culture that enlisted new ideas from all over the world.

Indonesia experienced a “golden age” between the 10th and the 13th centuries. Under a Buddhist and then Hindu leader, Indonesian culture and economy thrived. With Islamist roots that date back to the 13 th century, Indonesia is now the largest Muslim-majority country in the world. While the government emphasizes Indonesian national unity, the multitude of diverse native ethnic groups still maintain their traditions and languages.

European influence in Indonesia dates back to the 17th century, when Portuguese captain Francisco Serrao arrived in the “Spice Islands” seeking cloves and pepper. After the departure of the Portuguese, the Dutch were able to establish a very strong influence in the area, first as a territory of the Dutch East India Company and then as a Dutch colony. Dutch powers remained in Indonesia until World War II, at which point Japan occupied the islands from 1942-1945. After the Japanese surrendered, Sukarno, who had been the primary leader of the Indonesian nationalist movement, installed himself as president and declared independence from the Dutch. The Dutch did not officially cede rule until the end of 1949, after which Indonesia entered into the United Nations as an independent country.

Indonesia's history as an independent entity has been somewhat unstable. Sukarno suffered opposition from a number of political parties, barely surviving a failed coup in 1965. Finally, his main opponent, Suharto, pushed out the president in 1968 and asserted his rule. Since the establishment of Suharto's presidency and his “New Order” national rehabilitation plan, Indonesia has seen an almost uninterrupted period of growth and development.

A main component of Suharto's “New Order” plan has been to encourage international investment in Indonesian industry. Even though it is a Muslim-majority country, Indonesian cities are open and welcoming to Westerners. However, while many parts of Indonesia are accessible, keep in mind that there are still many ways in which Indonesia needs to develop.

In 2006, 17% of Indonesia's population was below the poverty line, and almost 50% lived on less than US$2 per day. The country's public services must vastly develop in order to live up to foreigners' expectations of care. If you are planning to relocate to Indonesia, it is important that you get international insurance coverage so you will be covered in the case of emergency. To receive care from an international medical facility can get expensive, but this is the safest option because some Indonesian hospitals are unable to provide up-to-par medical treatment. Having the security of global insurance will help you adjust to your life in Indonesia, giving you the freedom to explore everything there is to discover.

Moving to Southeast Asia may be daunting, and, for some international families, finding reliable healthcare facilities is the first concern. An international medical insurance plan from Pacific Prime will allow you to have Western-style healthcare that you can afford. The hospitals available for expatriates in Indonesia will provide you with just the type of treatment that you need.

We can give expatriates in Indonesia health insurance plans that will provide total cover in Southeast Asia and the entire globe. Most of our plans have a range of benefits that can be tailored to fit your international requirements. With options such as dental, maternity, out-patient services, and emergency evacuation, you know that you will receive high-quality care all over the world.

For more information about Indonesia international medical insurance that we can provide, or to receive a free quote, please contact one of our expert advisers today.

Health Care Troubles for the Insured?

According to a recent New York Times article, America has an estimated 48 million uninsured citizens and this number may soon increase due to the economic downturn being felt across the country right now. Not only is this downturn pushing people out of being insured, but it is also dramatically affecting the insured population.

An increasing reality for many of the 158 million citizens that are insured through their employers is that medical costs are becoming unaffordable. Rising prices for food and gasoline are making many Americans think twice about their spending on health care. From another perspective, rising insurance premiums, narrower coverage, and bigger deductible and co-pay requirements are pushing health care prices through the roof. It follows that many insured Americans are not financially prepared for the costs of emergency room visits and necessary surgeries. They are choosing to pay for food and gasoline over necessary doctor visits.

According to consulting and accounting firm Deloitte, nearly one fifth of the average household’s spending goes to health care. Since 2001, health care premiums for families have risen to $3,300 from $1,800 while incomes have not increased enough to cover this change. Another survey by Deloitte points out that less than 10% of American feel they are financially prepared for their future health care needs.

Employers are also feeling the effects of a soft economy. Expenses for health care are skyrocketing and as a result, many employers are passing on these increased costs to their employees. Many have begun pushing for consumer-driven plans where lower premiums come in the form of higher annual deductibles. According to the New York Times article, nearly 6 million Americans are now enrolled in such plans.

With Presidential Elections coming later this year, it should be very interesting to see what remedies each candidate puts for and how the nation responds.