Disaster Task Force Rapidly Restores Thousands of Health Facilities After Sumatra Disaster
The Task Force for Accelerated Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (Satgas PRR) for Sumatra Disasters has moved swiftly to restore operations at 3,476 health facilities affected by disasters in late 2023. Currently, only 21 Auxiliary Health Centres (Pustu) remain in the cleaning and renovation phase.
The facilities comprise 87 Government Hospitals, 867 Primary Health Centres (Puskesmas), and 2,522 Auxiliary Health Centres (Pustu). Muhammad Tito Karnavian, Chair of Satgas PRR for Sumatra Disasters, commended the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) for ensuring rapid recovery of health facilities, thereby supporting the post-disaster recovery process in affected areas.
“I observe that health facilities, particularly public hospitals, have recovered most quickly compared to other sectors. The Health Minister has gone directly to the field, deploying many volunteers even to mountainous areas,” said Tito during the launch of ambulance and medical equipment distribution for disaster-affected regions at the Health Ministry on Thursday (12 March).
Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin revealed that his ministry has worked to ensure all health facilities resume operations immediately following disaster recovery. This aims to enable residents to quickly access healthcare services.
Budi added that the Health Ministry also deployed health volunteers organised in the Health Reserve Force (TCK) in waves to disaster locations.
“Within two weeks, the majority of hospitals resumed operations. For primary health centres, almost all returned to functioning within four weeks. So, within approximately one month, basic health services were essentially running normally,” Budi said.
Simultaneously, Satgas PRR has provided assistance to approximately 3,000 healthcare workers whose homes were damaged by flooding in Aceh, West Sumatra (Sumbar), and North Sumatra (Sumut). Currently, approximately 1,000 medical and healthcare workers have received approval for government housing repair fund disbursement.
“After medical facilities are restored, our priority is the staff. Our data shows more than 3,000 healthcare workers whose homes were damaged. How can doctors, nurses, and midwives work optimally serving the community if they themselves must still worry about their damaged homes,” explained Budi.
For home repairs, Satgas PRR through the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) distributed assistance of Rp15 million for lightly damaged homes, Rp30 million for moderately damaged homes, and Rp60 million for heavily damaged or lost homes, with the option of home reconstruction by the Housing Ministry.
Beyond home repairs, affected healthcare workers are also entitled to individual assistance from the Social Ministry (Kemensos). This assistance includes meal vouchers of Rp15,000 per person per day for three months, furniture assistance of Rp3 million, and economic stimulus assistance of Rp5 million.