Health ministry improves emergency response system
Health ministry improves emergency response system
Fitri Wulandari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Ministry of Health is developing an integrated emergency
system in which the police, fire fighters and ambulance services
will be coordinated under one dispatch center in each area so as
to ensure more timely responses.
Aryono D. Pusponegoro, the coordinator of the Disaster Relief
Brigade (BSB) at the Ministry of Health, said on Saturday that
the project, dubbed Safe Community, was being undertaken to
improve the current emergency response system under which there
was little coordination between the relevant agencies.
The dispatch centers would be housed in the offices of
governors, mayors, regents and village chiefs.
He said that the emergency system in Indonesia was not working
well and was far below international standards.
In reality, emergencies not only involved traffic accidents or
natural disasters, but also communal unrest, he said.
"Part of the problem is that our emergency response system is
disorganized," Aryono said during a discussion on evacuation
procedures held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Jakarta over the
weekend.
We could contact the police, fire fighters and health services
by dialing a certain number. But they still worked alone, Aryono
said.
"People on the street are always the first to witness
accidents or disasters. They have to know how to help victims
until the police or ambulance arrives," Aryono said.
Guntur Bambang H. Murwono, director of basic medical services
at the Ministry of Health, said that at present, to support the
"Safe Community" program, the ministry was preparing community
health centers (Puskesmas) to handle emergency cases in remote
areas by further educating doctors and improving infrastructure.
"The Puskesmas only deal with communicable diseases. But
accidents or disasters are also important. Since they spearhead
health services to the public, they need to learn how to handle
them," Guntur explained.
He said that the Puskesmas could also train members of the
community in first aid skills and develop networks with the
police and fire fighters. According to Guntur, the system was
currently being developed in Yogyakarta, Bali, and Makassar in
South Sulawesi.