Former Indonesian Health Minister Dies Of Cancer

By Ahmad Fuad Yahya JAKARTA (Indonesia), May 3 (Bernama) -- Former Indonesian Health Minister Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih who had resigned her post to undergo treatment for cancer died at 11.41am on Wednesday at the age of 57. Akmal Taher, director of Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital said her condition had worsened last night and died at 11.41am. Endang, born in Jakarta on Feb 1, 1955, was diagnosed with lung cancer in October 2010, one year after she was appointed to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s cabinet and had been undergoing treatment for cancer ever since, including treatment abroad. Last week, Endang had tendered her resignation from the cabinet and has not been formally replaced while her day-to-day duties were being handled by Deputy Health Minister Ali Ghufron. Yudhoyono had said that Endang had decided to resign so that she could concentrate on treatment for her illness because she did not want her absence to serve as a distraction to the ministry. The President who was deeply grieved by her death is expected to head the burial ceremony on Thursday. --BERNAMA