Each of us has
our own particular health concerns. A friend of mine has already had one kidney
transplant and lives with the knowledge that, at some point down the line, he
will have to have another. My own focus right now is the battle of the bulge,
and trying to take the little and big steps to becoming a healthier person.
Those are our
priorities; they (well mine at least) may seem trivial compared to the health
issues affecting many disadvantaged citizens around us. Although Indonesia does relatively well on
several international health surveys, problems in infrastructure and access to
services remain. The old saying goes that health is wealth, but for poor
citizens it is the reverse – lacking the funds, they put off seeking medical
health until their situation is dire.
Among the issues
we discuss this month is Indonesia as ground zero for bird flu and the
government’s efforts to provide health insurance for all. We also look at the
often ignored subject of mental illness, which is still considered shameful in
Indonesian society.
On a lighter
note, tennis great Martina Navratilova shares her tips for starting on the road
to health. Her philosophy is that it takes little steps to reach our goals. So,
however you want to do it, let’s start on the road to health.
