UNAIR NEWS - After six years of waiting, Ksatria Airlangga Floating Hospital (RSTKA) finally received legal recognition from the Minister of Health Regulation (Permenkes). Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin launched Permenkes No. 33 Year 2023 on Ship Hospital. The Permenkes was launched on the RSTKA, which was anchored in Labuan Bajo, Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) on Saturday (9/9/2023).

For six years since November 2017 on Bawean Island, RSTKA has been providing services with funding from donors. RSTKA Director Agus Harianto said the Minister of Health Regulation on Ship Hospitals is a form of state recognition of the operation of Floating Hospitals in Indonesia.

“This regulation becomes legal for the government to assist the operation of floating hospitals in Indonesia. Not only that, the Permenkes now allows Floating Hospitals to claim the cost of health services to the Health Social Security Organizing Agency (BPJS)," said Budi Gunadi Sadikin

RSTKA Journey

After the ceremony, all guests were invited to joy sail around Labuan Bajo while taking a tour of the RSTKA ship facilities. Dr. Agus Harianto shared how RSTKA volunteers struggled to perform surgery in the middle of the ocean while enduring nausea due to the shock of the waves. The dean of the Faculty of Medicine of Universitas Airlangga Prof. Dr. Budi Santoso dr SpOG was also present on the occasion. He said that the Faculty has been helping to bring general practitioners and PPDS volunteers from Dr. Soetomo Hospital.

For information, in 2023 RSTKA visited 12 locations in East Nusa Tenggara. Starting from Nagekeo Regency, Ende, East Flores, Lembata, Malacca, Kefamenanu, Soe, Kupang, Rote, Sabu, Papagarang Island, and Rinca Island. During the voyage, RSTKA served 378 heart screening patients and screened 1237 children. As well as screening 344 eye patients and screening 998 pregnant women.

This year, RSTKA will continue to sail in the NTB and NTT regions with three main missions. Namely, screening cases of Congenital Heart Disease and making efforts to reduce maternal mortality in the islands. As well as, preventing and eliminating stunting in the islands. (*)

Source : unair.ac.id/menkes-luncurkan-permenkes-rumah-sakit-kapal-berobat-di-rstka-kini-bisa-pakai-bpjs