Nias earthquake victims left untreated<\/p>\n
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Gunung Sitoli<\/p>\n
For two days, Fajarman Harefa has been crying out in pain because
\nhis left leg is broken. He was injured after his house on Nias
\nisland collapsed when the 8.7-magnitude earthquake rocked the
\nisland.<\/p>\n
Only when his brother, Darma Harefa, treated the wound with
\nantiseptic and wrapped it in simple cloth, Fajarman felt some
\nrelief.<\/p>\n
Darma said he had to treat his brother although he had no
\nmedical or first aid experience.<\/p>\n
\"I'm confused, I don't know what to do to treat my brother's
\nleg. He is in pain and I feel sad seeing him like that,\" 20-year-
\nold Darma, a resident of Namohalu Esiwa district in Nias regency,
\ntold The Jakarta Post recently.<\/p>\n
After his brother cleaned his wound, Fajarman was then taken
\nby volunteers to a medical post in a school near Pelita Gunung
\nSitoli field.<\/p>\n
At the post he was left untreated, prompting some volunteers
\nto suggest that he be evacuated to Medan for medical treatment.<\/p>\n
Fajarman said he was disappointed that he did not receive
\nimmediate medical attention.<\/p>\n
\"I was not given medical treatment at the post for hours, now
\nI am told that I will be taken to Medan for treatment,\" said
\nFajarman before being taken to Medan on board a Singapore
\ngovernment Chinook helicopter.<\/p>\n
Another quake victim, Adimani Halawa, also had to endured pain
\nin her left leg, which was completely torn apart when the
\nrestaurant where she worked in was flattened in the quake.<\/p>\n
\"At the time of the disaster, I tried to run out of the
\nrestaurant. But the lights went out so I couldn't find the way
\nout. Suddenly, the restaurant building collapsed and I was hit on
\nmy left leg. I fainted and woke up in the morning,\" the 25-year-
\nold woman recalled.<\/p>\n
The woman then tried to find cloth to cover her wound and then
\nwalked to the street, hoping to get help. But a day after the
\nquake, there was no one to help her.<\/p>\n
\"Everyone was busy looking for their relatives under the
\ncollapsed buildings. For a whole day I tried to survive, and I
\nlost lots of blood,\" she said.<\/p>\n
She finally reached the medical post on the second day. There,
\nwhat remained of her leg was wrapped in a bandage.<\/p>\n
\"Until now, I don't know the fate of my family,\" Adimani,
\nwhose family lives in Helaombo village in Gomo district, Nias
\nregency, told the Post on Friday.<\/p>\n
A volunteer at the medical post near Pelita field said on
\nFriday that medical supplies at her post were not enough to treat
\nquake victims. Due to the shortage of medical supplies and
\nequipment some of the victims had to be evacuated out of the
\nisland to Medan or Sibolga, in North Sumatra.<\/p>\n
Health minister Siti Fadilah said during her visit to Gunung
\nSitoli that her office had sent 27 doctors from Jakarta,
\nincluding surgeons.<\/p>\n
The ministry, she added, would also immediately send medical
\nsupplies to treat quake victims in Nias.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/nias-earthquake-victims-left-untreated-1447893297",
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