Novita Christanti - The little girl’s name was Septi, and she was 3 years old, and a fifth child. I met her the first time when we visited Ramba Village, Sigi District. Septi was so afraid when she and her mother visited our service. She cried in her mother’s lap. I saw big lumps with pus on her neck and face. Her mother said that the lumps appearded when they moved to the refugee camp and only ate instant noodles that people gave. During our medical services, we saw many children like her – with lumps on their face, body or legs. This could be an important lesson for people, not to give instant noodles during disaster. Instant noodle certainly was a preferred choice in terms of its ease – re. Easy to prepare and very filling. However, the many negative effects, such as diarrhea, skin disease, etc. Necessitated careful consideration.
Back to Septi, after conducting examination, doctor Yoga decided to treat the lump on Septi’s neck. And the mother agreed. Septi cried so hard and hold her mother tight. I decided to put Septi on my lap and ask her mother to stand further away. Everyone was ready in their position, and I took Septi on my lap, and Amon hold Apri’s hand and leg, while Herlando was ready to execute his task. Out of fear, Septi cried. It turned out that her lump was broken by itself, without any operation. Just a squeeze on it and the pus ooze out, followed by blood. But underneath there was pus oozing out, and Herlando had to make a small incision. At exacly that time, many people came to see. I screamed to get people to go. The air was so stuffy, and it was heartwrenching to see Septi cry trying to find her mother. The treatment was done. Doctor Yoga gave a prescription and suggested that the lump in her eye be referred to hospital for treatment. All treatment at hospital should be free during the emergency response, up until 25 December 2018, as the government paid for the bill. Septi’s mother agreed. Septi returned home with her mother while crying.
We returned to Ramba Village a week later, to conduct health promotion and medical service. We were in two teams – health promotion and medical service teams. I, doctor Yoga, Hendra and Herlando were in the medical team. We visited patients who needed monitoring, including Septi. Septi’s mother said that Septi was taken to hospital but there were many requirements to fulfil before she could get any treatment at the hospital. They included a letter stating that they were poor, referral letters from the community health center and social affair office and from the health agency. The family could not get all those letters because they did not have money and could not afford the transport cost, and Septi had to go home without any treatment. It was so sad to hear, when we were about to help them, others seemed to make it hard for them because of bureaucracy requirements that should have been easier during this time of disaster. Perhaps, SHEEP needed to accompany those hospitals.
Septi looked to us with so much fear while in her mothers arm, although this time she did not cry. Perhaps, deep in her heart she said "oh no, the butcher came back". ”We saw the wound healed well on her neck,” her mopther said, ”Septi put the ointment (gentamicin) on her wound and took the medicine.” When we examined the lump in her eye, Septi refused and asked not to be squeezed....painful. But this time her reaction was different not like at the beginning when she resisted. This time, she let us treat her. When I saw that the lump in her eye grew bigger, we decided to start a treatment, but we did not use anasthetic injection because the wound was so close to her eye. Just like the week before, Septi was on my lap, and all equipments were prepared. Septi cried once in a while and asked for drink, or her baloon, or food.
It was sad but at the same time quite inspiring. The little girl tried to deal with fear in her own way. When the equipment was ready, Herlando made the incision on the lump, which clearly let out abscese. And with two incisions, blood came out of her wound. This time, however, Septi did not cry, although she asked for water to drink and a baloon. We finished the treatment without any drama like last week. Her mother took her in her arm after we treated her wound.
The people in Ramba offered us young coconut, and then we said good bye. Suddenly, a child pulled my shirt. I looked at the child and smiled, it turned out that Septi wanted her baloon to be given a name. There was clearly no vengeance in her face, and she openly hugged me. Hopefully we could set an example Septi, to help others without discrimination, whether on the basis of race, ethnicity or religion. We did not need to do harm to those who had done harm to us. This way, the world would be peaceful. Thank you Septi, you really told a meaningful story.