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Siloam sets to attract affluent patients
The Siloam Semanggi Hospital, along with its Mochtar Riady Comprehensive Cancer Center (MRCCC), set to be the first private cancer center in the country, held its opening ceremony Saturday
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he Siloam Semanggi Hospital, along with its Mochtar Riady Comprehensive Cancer Center (MRCCC), set to be the first private cancer center in the country, held its opening ceremony Saturday.
It marked the use of the 29-story building for its initial operation on Oct. 20, 2010.
“We want a good quality hospital that focuses on patients’ safety, comfort and affordability,” said Mochtar Riady, chairman of Lippo Karawaci Tbk., which will operate the hospital.
According to Riady, his group spent more than Rp 1 trillion (US$ 111 million) to invest in the hospital.
Previously, it has established the Mochtar Riady Institute for Nanotechnology, a cancer research located near the Siloam Hospital in Karawaci, Banten.
The Medical Service general directorate of the Health Ministry Supriyantoro said in recent years cancer prevalence in the country had increased with the latest data showing cancer as a major death cause.
“The contribution of the private sector in providing medical treatment for cancer patients helps the government tackle the problem,” he said.
Supriyantoro cited World Bank data in 2004 that Indonesians spent more than Rp 7 trillion seeking medical care abroad.
“With the emergence of world class hospitals like this, we hope we can reduce the number of patients traveling abroad for medical treatment, and improve people’s trust in Indonesian hospitals,” he said.
The hospital’s chief operation officer, Hanny G. Moniaga, said the hospital encouraged the country’s qualified doctors to deal with cancer patients using the latest equipment and facilities.
The center will provide the latest diagnostic services, such as positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scanning, cyclotron, multi-slice CT, high field strength magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and single photon emission CT (SPECT/CT) scanning.
“We have received the equipment, and have sent doctors as well as technicians abroad. We will also hold communication training for doctors and nurses to provide more customer-friendly services.”
Hanny claimed the services at MRCCC would cost less than hospitals abroad.
“For example, for PET/CT scanning in Singapore, patients are required to pay Rp 20 million, while in our center it will only cost about Rp 15 million,” she said.
She said if a patient spent Rp 3 billion for cancer treatment abroad, they could pay only Rp 1 billion for the same treatment at MRCCC. Some of the most common forms of cancer in Indonesia are breast, cervical, nasopharynx and lung cancers. (lnd)
