The Indonesian Orthopaedic and Traumatology Association (PABOI) has\ndeployed medical teams to treat victims of the earthquake in Nusa\nTenggara Timur (NTT). The move was taken to anticipate a high number of\nbone fractures resulting from the disaster.<\/p>\n
President of the Indonesia Hip and Knee Society (IHKS) Rizki\nRahmadian said coordination began several hours after news of the\nearthquake was received. PABOI, together with its subsidiary\norganisations including IHKS, the Indonesian Orthopaedic Trauma and\nReconstruction Society (IOTRS), and the Indonesia Arthroplasty Society\n(INAMSOS), immediately prepared medical teams.<\/p>\n
\u201cA few hours after the incident we held a Zoom meeting at PABOI with\nall subsidiary organisations and branches across Indonesia, and\nconcluded that we must depart for the location as soon as possible,\u201d\nRizki told journalists at the Marriott Hotel in Sleman, Special Region\nof Yogyakarta, on Friday (21\/8).<\/p>\n
According to Rizki, a rapid response was necessary because the number\nof orthopaedic specialists in the affected areas is limited. At the\ntime, Ende was largely supported by general surgeons, while the nearest\northopaedic specialists were in Labuan Bajo and West Nusa Tenggara.<\/p>\n
PABOI estimated that the number of victims with fractures would rise\nafter the earthquake. Previous disaster response experience was among\nthe considerations in deploying the medical teams. \u201cWe imagined that\nfracture cases would be very numerous. In an earthquake, fracture cases\nare very likely to be abundant,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The first medical team from Makassar was dispatched on the morning\nafter the earthquake. A team from Surabaya followed to reinforce the\nhandling of victims at the disaster site.<\/p>\n
PABOI also prepared ongoing services by rotating branches and\northopaedic education centres from various regions. The measure was\ntaken to ensure that treatment of victims continues throughout the\nrecovery period.<\/p>\n
In addition to disaster victim treatment, bone and joint health\nissues were discussed at the IHKS 2026 international scientific forum in\nYogyakarta. The forum was attended by hundreds of experts from 15\ncountries.<\/p>\n
Rizki said current orthopaedic technology development is directed at\npreserving a patient\u2019s natural joint for as long as possible. Treatment\ncan be carried out through cartilage tissue care up to minimally\ninvasive surgery or arthroscopy.<\/p>\n
If a joint can no longer be preserved, joint replacement can be\nperformed with the support of technology such as artificial intelligence\nand robotic-assisted surgery.<\/p>\n
At the forum, doctors also discussed Indonesia\u2019s dependence on\nimported medical device products, particularly orthopaedic implants.\nPresident of the Indonesian Orthopaedic Trauma Society (IOTRS) Norman\nZainal said dependence on imported implants remains very high. Based on\ndata he presented, the proportion of imported medical implants fell from\n96% in 2013 to 94% in 2017 through the National Implant Engineering\nProgramme (Prorigna).<\/p>\n
According to Norman, domestic implant development faces challenges in\nthe form of production complexity that requires cross-disciplinary\ncollaboration and funding support.<\/p>\n
Technology development, including artificial intelligence and medical\nengineering, is considered necessary to strengthen domestic implant\nproduction.<\/p>\n
Adjustments to medical education curricula are also needed so that\ndoctors and experts in orthopaedics have the ability to understand\nimplant development.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we studied medicine, we learned pharmacy to make drugs. But\nduring school, we did not learn how to make implants that are placed in\nthe body,\u201d Norman said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/orthopaedic-doctors-deployed-to-treat-ntt-earthquake-victims-1787489446", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }