Govt provides Rp 128b for victims

JAKARTA: The Ministry of Health has allocated Rp 128 billion for disaster relief in 2002, secretary-general Dadi S. Argadiredja said on Wednesday.

"The funds will go to 20 provinces, where flood victims and around 1.4 million displaced people live," he said after a hearing with the House of Representatives Commission VII on people's welfare.

The ministry has recently sent a joint medical team to areas of conflict, including Poso in Central Sulawesi and Ambon in Maluku.

Dadi said the ministry had so far used funds donated by the World Health Organization (WHO) to finance its medical assistance program for people suffering from the recent disasters and regional conflicts.

The ministry will receive Rp 500 billion in money saved from lowering government fuel subsidies, which will mostly be disbursed to provide free medical treatment for the country's 49 million poor people. -- JP