Funding for New Diagnostics of MDR-TB

As repoted in http://www.worldcarecouncil.org/content/finally-good-news-mdr-tb-diagnostics-are-coming by Comrades, there is a new agreement signed between UNITAID, WHO, FIND, GLI and GDF for supporting the new diagnostics for MDR TB.

MDR TB (Multi Drugs Resistance of Tuberculosis), a condition that there are resistance cases to more than one TB drugs that caused TB treatment unsuccessful. This has made the case increased and needed new diagnostic for MDR TB and new drugs as well.

The project called EXPAND TB (Expanding access to new diagnostics for TB) which goal is to accelerate access to diagnosis for patients at risk of MDR TB. These are the partners:

UNITAID, is giving fund $ 26 million and will be expanded to $ 87 million for the project. The 16 targeted countries (2008 - 2011) are: Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Côte d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Myanmar, Lesotho, the Republic of Moldova, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Viet Nam. The next project (2011-2013) will be included 11 other countries: Cameroon, Djibouti, Haiti, India, Kenya, Peru, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Senegal, Swaziland and Zambia.

This is a good opportunity for Indonesia as a high burden countries for TB cases in world to strengthen the Laboratory access for new diagnostics. Supplyng the tools and training for laboratory test.

My Bad Day

Kamis, 24 Sep 2008... Entah mengapa hari ini sangatlah berat buatku... saya bisa menyebutnya sebagai my bad day. Apakah ini sindrom boringmia? Begini ceritanya...

Seperti biasa, kami mandi pagi berdua (Lita dan saya)... ketika pake sabun jedukkkk... kepalaku kebentur keras tempat sabun yang diam tak bergeming di tembok... terjadilah luka dan memar luar biasa di keningku. Sempoyongan saya mencoba menyadarkan diri bahwa ini adalah kesalahanku.

Kejadian kedua adalah di dapur... saya merapikan piring gelas dan panci di lemari. Posisi lemari atas dan bawah terbuka, dan ketika saya nunduk naruh panci di bawah, jedukkkk.... kepalaku terantuk pintu lemari atas yg diam tak bergeming terbuka lebar... Bayangkan seperti apa benjol kepalaku klo pintu lemari itu sampai lepas dari engselnya... Menetes air mataku menahan sakit dan aku berusaha menyadarkanku bahwa ini akibat aku lupa nutup pintu lemari atas.

Kejadian ketiga adalah kejadian yang paling silly kulakukan. Memasak adalah rutinitasku setiap sore... hari itu aku berencana bikin Rolade dengan kulit dari telur dadar. Setelah siap bahan isi rolade, kuambil kotak yg berisi sedozen telur dan kulihat telur paling ujung pecah, tapi isi telur masih utuh... wah sayang klo dibuang. Entah dimana otakku saat itu, secara kulit telur lengket dikotal, kutuang kotak itu dengan harapan isi telur pecah itu tumpah kemangkok. Kuabaikan telur2 yang lain yang masih utuh, dan merekapun jatuh berhamburan ketika kutuang kotak itu... Sontak reaksiku adalah seluruh bagian tubuhku berusaha menangkap telur yg berhaburan ke bawah, termasuk kedua kakiku. Sebuah telur melayang diantara pahaku dan refleksku menjepitnya. Berhasil!!! tapi telur itupun pecah dipahaku karena kujepit hikkkk.... Mr Bean banget aku hari itu... Alhasil hanya 2 telur yang terselamatkan sedang yang lainpun ikut pecah...

Ketika aku ceritakan kejadian konyol ini ke suamiku tercinta, kamipun tertawa terpingkal2... dan ayahpun mencium keningku sambil berbisik, mungkin ibu lelah aja..

Renungan: Apakah aku sudah lelah menanti sesuatu yang tak kunjung datang juga, KERJA?... Apakah aku sudah bosan dengan rutinitas ini? Mudah2an aku jujur pada diriku sendiri bahwa aku tidak bisa diam diri dirumah, aku perlu melakukan sesuatu... Mudah2an kejadian ini dapat aku ambil hikmah buat hidupku ke depan.

Day care menurunkan resiko Asma pada anak?

Sept. 9, 2008 -- Infants and toddlers who attend day care are less likely than other children to develop asthma symptoms by age 5, a new study shows. (Salynn Boyles
WebMD Health News)

Hasil studi ini menunjukkan bahwa dari anak usia 6 - 12 bulan yang masuk daycare ditemukan 75% menurunkan resiko menderita bersin berulang (salah satu gejala astma), sedangkan anak masuk day care sesudah 1 tahun ditemukan 35% menurunkan resiko asthma dibandingkan anak yang sama sekali tidak masuk day care.

Hasil studi ini mendukung "Hygiene Hypothesis" yang menyatakan paparan dini terhadap infeksi dan bakteri memberi perlindungan terhadap asthma dan alergi. Kondisi ini dapat menjelaskan mengapa anak2 di negara maju/industri lebih tinggi beresiko mendapat astma dan alergi. Di negara maju, lingkungan rumah dan tempat umum terlihat sangat bersih,sehingga anak2 sangat kurang terpapar sumber infeksi dan bakteri sehingga kurang berkembang sistem imun dalam tubuhnya yg sangat berguna dalam melawan asma dan alergi.

Hasil Studi ini mendukung hipotesis ini, namun belum cukup membuktikan kebenaran dari Hygiene Hypothesis ini.

Sumber: http://children.webmd.com/news/20080909/day-care-may-cut-kids-asthma-risk?ecd=wnl_aaa_092208

Renungan: Anak usia 6 - 12 bulan adalah masa yang penting dalam pembentukan sistem kekebalan tubuh.

The power of truth

It was an experience will never forgotten in my life. They seems want to eat us when some questions were asked without any consideration. It was clear that whatever the explanation they are keep asking and conclude that the explanations were not strong enough for them. Even our bodyguards were there, they still want to make us uncomfortable. I thought only one among them that was realizing what we have presented will be very important for them. Only God knows what exactly they want, we just keep waiting for the impact. God gave a clue when an sms was sent by themself, and clearly mention that they want to cancel it. We don't need to conclude from anything only from their sms. The power of truth talks to the world what they want. We have a bargain position when the ego could not except they have done... And it was make world noisy... and when the highest level talks, we win... Thanks God for your help.

Unfair.....

I walked through on my shoping list.... "milk for Lita" was on number 5 that I had to buy. My eyes directly interested in a colourful stand of Dancow brand milk. Aha... so many presents from Dancow including a science CD as bonus for purchasing a 800gr Dancow 1+. I was so happy than, how lucky I am today I thought. After finding the plain one that my daughter very much like, I found no CD there. But how come, that was not fair,.... Meanwhile the chocolate, strawberry, honey, and vanilla flavours had the CD on it, only the plain none. How come?.... I tried to find out the answer from the beutiful lady standing in the stand... But she also doesn't know why...
My question still around fulfiling my head when I can't get the answer, then my husband tried to make me calm down. You know honey, it is a marketing strategy. When some brands were not reach the target on sale than the others, they can do anything to make it increase. In his opinion, the plain one was sold very well than the others.... Hmmm it make sense, then the company tried to encourage moms to buy the flavoured-one. Hopefully all moms didn't do it. As suggested, the plain milk is the best than flavoured milk, tasted one usually content of high consentrate of sugar which will damage our kids teeth.... Oh no... If our kids love the plain one, don't try to offer the flavoured one... Please deh ah....

Kesegaran....

Hari ini kuputuskan untuk memanjakan diri sejenak untuk medapatkan kesegaran baru. Rutinitas yang biasa dilakukan seorang wanita namun jarang sekali kunikmati. it is not about money, but why i can't do it regularly?
Tapi akhirnya kuniati sebagai kejutan untuk menyambut kedatangan suamiku tercinta hari ini. Potong rambut, facial dan hair spa. Segarrrrrrrr......

Get new challenge

I believe that God have his own plan for us. When I decided to resign from WHO at the end of last year, I have to accept that I will be unemployed for awhile in Jogja till we will leave on May. Lucky me, mbak Ari, one of my college and close friends offer me to help her as field manager in Hospital DOTS assessment in out Java. Whatever the position, I am glad to receive the offer. this is a new challenge for me to get another experiences in community health area.
Some other things I've started to do in last two weeks are fitness exercises 3 times a week, taking course for Balinese dance once a week and IELTS practices.
Hope this will be something in the future. Thanks God...