Hundreds of Disaster-Affected Pustu Facilities Resume Operations, Bringing Healthcare Services Closer

The recovery of healthcare facilities (faskes) in disaster-affected regions of Sumatra continues to show significant progress. Hundreds of community health centre auxiliary units (puskesmas pembantu or pustu) that were impacted are now back in operation, bringing healthcare services closer to survivors and reaching down to the community level. According to data from the Task Force for Accelerating Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (Satgas PRR) Post-Sumatra Disaster, 2,522 out of 2,952 pustu in Aceh, North Sumatra (Sumut), and West Sumatra (Sumbar) were affected by the disaster. At the start of the response phase on 1 December 2025, 148 pustu had ceased operations due to severe damage. The handling progress has accelerated. The latest Satgas PRR data as of 17 April 2026 records that the number of pustu still in the rehabilitation stage is now down to 12 units, scattered in Aceh and Sumut. In Aceh, several pustu still under handling are located in East Aceh, namely Pustu Blang Seunong, Seuneubok Bayu, Bandar Baro, Alue Tuwi, DK 1 Peunaron Baru, and Tanjong Tok Blang, with work progress involving new construction, cleaning, and renovation. Meanwhile, pustu in Sumut still in the handling process are in the City of Sibolga and Central Tapanuli Regency, namely Pustu Hutabarangan, Po Simargarap, Sibuluan Nalambok, Sibio-bio, Sigiring-giring, and Huraba. Most of these pustu are still in the stages of reconstruction and completion of renovations. Besides pustu, the recovery of faskes also shows encouraging results. Initially, 87 out of 130 government hospitals (RS) in the three affected provinces were impacted, and even nine RS had stopped operating at the beginning of December 2025. However, all RS are now functioning normally. At the basic service level, out of 1,265 puskesmas, 867 units were affected, temporarily causing 152 puskesmas to cease operations. However, all of these puskesmas have now resumed serving the public, so access to healthcare at the sub-district level has been fully restored. Satgas PRR Chair Muhammad Tito Karnavian appreciated these swift steps and emphasised the importance of the continuity of healthcare services for survivors. “I give high appreciation to the Minister of Health because he went directly and truly worked to control it with all volunteers and his forces, so that in less than a month all regional general hospitals (RSUD) were 100 percent operational,” said Tito in a press release received by Kompas.com on Friday (17/4/2026). He stressed that restoring faskes down to the lowest level is key to maintaining community social resilience post-disaster. “Then, the puskesmas that were previously 867, not a few, are now 100 percent operational. Only the pustu remain to be completed. This is important for treatment and so on,” Tito stated.