Ministry Forms Team to Probe Mysterious Acute Kidney Disorder

BALI, KOMPAS.com - The Health Ministry has formed a team to investigate mysterious acute kidney disorder cases among children in Indonesia as 40 kids are now receiving treatment for the disease.

"The Health Ministry has formed a team consisting of [representatives from] the Indonesian Pediatric Society [IDAI] and Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital [RSCM] to investigate and handle mysterious acute kidney disorder cases," head of the ministry's communication and public service bureau Siti Nadia Tarmizi said on Thursday, Oct. 13.

Three new cases were reported as of Oct. 3, 2022, bringing the total number of children under eight years old in treatment for the disease to 40, according to the ministry.

The directorate general of health service at the ministry has issued the Decree of Director General of Health Service No. HK.02.92/I/3305/2022 on the clinical management of atypical progressive acute kidney disorder.

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"Based on results of the laboratory examination of the Health Development Policy Agency (BKPK), so far, no specific bacteria or viruses have been found," Siti said.

Further research is needed on the results of discussions with teams from other countries that have recorded similar cases, such as the Gambia and Africa—specifically, the presumption that the consumption of drugs containing ethylene glycol causes the disease.

"This needs further research because it is not detected in the blood," she explained.

The ministry is still coordinating with experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) to obtain information on the results of their case investigation in the Gambia.

Meanwhile, the state-run Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) said that the treatment costs of patients suffering from acute diseases with unknown causes are being covered by the Indonesian government.

"As long as it is medically indicated, BPJS Kesehatan covers the treatment cost of patients with diseases that are still considered to be mysterious," the president director of BPJS Kesehatan Ghufron Mukti said on Thursday.

BPJS Kesehatan program members suffering from unidentified diseases must opt for treatment procedures that are under BPJS Kesehatan's mechanism, he added.

Source: State News Antara