Indonesia, August, 2011

Indonesians who can’t afford conventional medical care for hypertension, diabetes, rheumatism, gout, obesity and high cholesterol, easing aches and pains bank on the therapeutic effect of lying down on train tracks. They say the mild current that passes through their bodies when they lie across the track, makes pain go away and eases the symptoms of a range of conditions from rheumatism to diabetes.

One particular track in western Jakarta has become popular with people for this.

A used Husin, Local User says: “I had an accident and caused a fracture in my bone, I could not do any activities before. But now I can wake up by myself and walk. Thanks to the therapy I did for 2.5 months recently.”

Anothert used Inah says: “I had uric acid in my hand which was hard to move, but thank god now it’s getting better.”

A local medical practitioner Dr. Dwi Yani, Chief, Local Health Center is concerned: “Electricity is used for special cases and severe cases but it’s not used for all diseases. But here they use the therapy for all kinds of diseases and this situation will impact on physical, brain and heart.”