Indonesian Everest climber treated at mental hospital

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Mon, 10/12/2009 9:28 AM  |  National

Indonesia’s and Southeast Asia’s first woman to scale Mt. Everest, Clara Sumarwati, has been treated at a state mental hospital in the Central Java town of Magelang.
 
Medical director of the hospital, Bella Patriajaya told kompas.com Sumarwati had undergone medical treatment three times since 1997, a year after she reached the peak of the world’s highest mount.
 
“We cannot yet conclude what has triggered the mental disease,” Bella said. She added the therapy performed on Sumarwati had been a waste as she did not take medicines routinely in accordance with the prescription.
 
When she was admitted to the hospital in 1997, Sumarwati often talked of her achievement, but medical workers ignored her, saying it was just her fantasy.
 
“Our disbelief was confirmed by her own family who doubted her mount climbing activities,” Bella said.
 
Sumarwati’s whereabouts were only discovered last week when a team from the Office of State Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs assessed the achievement of national pioneer award candidate from Central Java, Poppy Safitri, whose activities include providing a dance class at the Magelang mental hospital. During the visit to the hospital, a member of the state ministerial team recognized Sumarwati.
 
The family of Sumarwati, however, has refused to take her home for fear that the disease would recur.
 
The government awarded Sumawati a Nararya Medal for her achievement.

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