Brief history and situation of the hospital
Sitanala hospital hospital is a special hospital that caters for leprosy patients. It is the former “ Lenteng Agung” leprosy hospital, situated about 12 km southern part of Jakarta main town. Headed by Dr Vander Heide (a Dutch nationality) together with the leprosy patients, they shifted to Tangerang. Sitanala leprosy hospital is situated at Karangsari Village of Batucaper within the administrative town of Tangerang. It is about 26 kms from the Jakarta main town. The hospital covers an areal land of about 54 hectares. The hospital was erected in 1951 with the first name was “Sewan Hospital”, as it is situated at Sewan village of Batuceper Sub-district. Mdm.Rahmi Hatta, the wife of the first vice president of RI, laid the foundation.In 1962, Prof. DR. Satrio, former minister of health, changed the name of “Sewan Hospital” to “Sitanala Rehabilitation Center” in appreciation of the work and effort done by Dr.J.B Sitanala as the first Indonesian doctor to be directly involved with the plight of the leprosy patients in Indonesia.
In 1972, with the decree of the minister of health RI No.140/Men.Kes/SK/10/1978, it is later known as “Sitanala LeprosyHospital” as a technical unit directly under the Director General of Mediacl Care.
Since it founding, the hospital headed by the following directors:
1. Dr Vander Heide : 1953 – 1958
2. Dr Oen Bik Thio: 1958 – 1959
3. Dr H. Kamal Mahmud: 1959 – 1965
4. Dr M. Adhyatma: 1965 – 1971
5. Dr Aloysius Dharmawan: 1971 – 1975
6. Dr Berbudi: 1975 – 1983
7. Dr Ignatius Haryanto S: 1983 – 1989
8. Dr M.R Teterissa: 1989 – 1995
9. Dr Sudarmadji: 1995 – 2001
10 Dr Johan Thamrin Saleh: 2001 – …
Within the development of the hospital it was recorded that in 1985 total number of staff were 382. There were 13 medical doctors, one dermatologist, one leprosy surgeon and 2 physiotherapists. It is a fact that many leprosy patients with social problems. After curing the disease they are not accepted by the families and community. Therefore the hospital was stagnated with the ex-leprosy patients with social problems. To solve the problems the hospital developed a leprosy village surrounding the hospital is known “Desa Serba Guna”. The purpose of the establishment of leprosy village was to be used as a transit place for re-socialization program. After several years the Desa Serba Guna become crowded and creates further social problems. Therefore the function of hospital must be included in social rehabilitation and re-settlement.
There are two settlements established by the hospital i.e Margo Mulyo I (South Sumatera province), Margo Mulyo II (Banten province).
The hospital is functioning as a Regional Referral Hospital for the Central part of Indonesia ie: The whole provinces at java island, Bali, NBT, NTT and East Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan and South Kalimantan provinces.
