NTB Health Team Serves 3,307 Residents Affected by NTT Earthquake
The West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Health Team has provided health services to 3,307 residents affected by the 7.7-magnitude earthquake in seven affected districts in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) during six days of the KR-BNN NTB humanitarian solidarity mission up to 25 August 2026.
Ahsanul Halik, spokesperson for the NTB Provincial Government and Chair of the KR-BNN NTB Solidarity Coordination Team, said in Mataram on Wednesday that the high number of services indicates the significant health needs of the community following the earthquake.
“The figure of 3,307 services shows that the health needs of the community on the ground are indeed quite substantial,” he said.
To strengthen services, NTB deployed 89 health volunteers in two departure phases. A total of 53 volunteers, or 60 per cent, were dispatched in the first phase, followed by 36 volunteers, or 40 per cent, in the second phase.
The team was dominated by 32 nurses and 28 doctors. They were reinforced by six pharmacists, three health administration staff, three psychologists, two epidemiologists, two environmental health workers, a midwife, an analyst, and other support personnel.
One of the service locations for the NTB Health Team was in Satar Padut Village, North Lamba Leda District, East Manggarai Regency. From this area, part of the team also operated mobile services while reinforcing several health posts that still required medical personnel.
The development in the number of services shows that community health needs increased sharply during the initial response phase. On 20 August, the NTB Health Team provided 134 services. A day later, the number increased to 367 services.
The peak of services occurred on 22 August with 1,340 services. After that, the number of services decreased to 879 on 23 August, 381 on 24 August, and 201 on 25 August. Cumulatively, up to 25 August, the total services provided reached 3,307.
According to him, of the total services, the most commonly treated complaints were myalgia with 751 cases, followed by dyspepsia with 634 cases, acute respiratory infections (ARI) with 364 cases, pain with 268 cases, and hypertension with 259 cases.
In addition, the team also handled cases of dizziness, diarrhoea, wounds or vulnus, bronchitis, and several other complaints. The ten most common complaints and diagnoses accounted for around 88 per cent of all services. Amid the direct services, surveillance of potential outbreak diseases was also continuously strengthened.
ARI became the most dominant potential outbreak disease. The number of cases increased to 148 on 22 August and reached a peak of 156 cases on 23 August. After falling to 23 cases on 24 August, 37 cases were still recorded on 25 August.
The development of diarrhoea also showed fluctuations. Diarrhoea cases were recorded at 42 cases on 22 August, 34 cases on 23 August, and increased again to 41 cases on 24 August, before falling to two cases on 25 August.
Meanwhile, pneumonia reached 30 cases on 24 August and 12 cases were still recorded on 25 August. Dysentery also showed an increasing trend at the end of the observation period.
Health services were also carried out on a mobile basis to reach communities outside the service posts. Based on the mapping of mobile services around Satar Padut Village, the groups receiving attention comprised 37 toddlers aged 0-5 years, seven children and adolescents aged 6-17 years, and 152 residents aged 18-59 years.
The team also referred patients with obstetric cases to Ruteng Hospital for further treatment. At the same time, health services in several areas were strengthened through coordination and integration with the Airlangga University Health Services Team.
As a coordination and service centre, the NTB Health Team also established and operated a Main Health Post at Dampek Community Health Centre, South Lamba Leda District, East Manggarai Regency.
“Strengthening the health response will continue to be adjusted to the development of the situation and the needs of the community on the ground,” he said.