Government speeds up upgrade of Tafaeri Regional General Hospital in North Nias to expand services
North Nias (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Health and the North Nias Regency Government are accelerating the upgrade of Tafaeri Regional General Hospital (RSUD Tafaeri) and the accompanying road infrastructure to expand public health services, as part of the president’s ‘fast-track results’ programme (PHTC).
Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin said in North Nias on Friday that the hospital project is currently 90 percent complete and is targeted for completion in March with high quality. He said there is still much that can be improved, ranging from medical equipment to the availability of specialist doctors.
“Well, when the hospital is completed, the modern equipment will be installed; usually the biggest problem is the doctors, the personnel,” he said.
Therefore, he urged the North Nias Regency Government to attract the best local graduates to undertake hospital-based specialist training organised by the Ministry of Health.
Ultimately, these specialist doctors will be based in North Nias, because specialists currently serving at RSUD Tafaeri are assigned from Medan, or practise at two locations, so their services are available only during certain periods.
“At least seven (types of specialists). Seven. Then two more, making nine. And why two? Because we need a neurology specialist and a cardiac specialist,” he said.
“That is why the President’s programme, two years, three years, is 66. Hopefully, it could be expanded to around 200 district and city hospitals as well,” he said.
Budi also highlighted road access to RSUD. He noted that access used to be poor, but there has already been improvement.
During the occasion, North Nias Regent Amizaro Waruwu said his administration had prepared a budget of Rp27 billion to repair the road to the hospital.
Additionally, as part of improving regional health services, officials are sending local youths to receive specialist training to raise the quality of human resources.
“I inform you that the medical equipment at Tafaeri Hospital will be provided in full once this building is completed. Let us pray that this will be a joy and a blessing for us all,” Amizaro said.
An internal medicine specialist at RSUD Tafaeri from the Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sumatra Utara, Dr Devinda Villarsi, said that a range of supporting facilities at the hospital such as laboratories, radiography, and full blood tests are available at the hospital.
“They would like the roads improved first so that more people can come here; the access to this place is difficult. Imagine if someone is ill—the journey here on bad roads would worsen their condition. It is quite far, perhaps 15-20 minutes from good roads to reach here,” he said.
The hope is that with better roads, improved human resources, and additional facilities, more residents will seek treatment there, and malignancies such as cancer could be addressed more effectively.
Similarly, Lastiaw Harefa, a family member of a patient, said that services at RSUD Tafaeri are quite good, and health staff consistently attend to his son Steven Lasse’s needs while he is treated there.
However, he hopes the hospital’s comfort can be enhanced, such as by ensuring a reliable water supply and well-functioning air conditioning.