Health Minister Asks Hospitals to Accelerate Surgery for Earthquake Victims

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - The earthquake that happened in Cianjur on Monday (21/11/2022) caused hundreds of deaths and thousands injuries. The National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure (BNPB) confirmed 271 died and 2.043 were injured as of 23 November 2022 at 05.23 p.m.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin requested to accelerate the treatments for earthquake victims in Cianjur who need surgical procedures. 

"I ask, please do the surgery soon, so that it can be done in three days," he said after observing the patients affected by the Cianjur Earthquake at Cimacan Regional Hospital, Cianjur Regency, West Java on Wednesday (23/11).

Budi conducted an observation on the operating room's availability on Wednesday. According to him, Bhayangkara Hospital has one available OR, while Sayang Regional Hospital has eight available ORs.

All of the ORs at Sayang Regional Hospital are available, although they need some repairment. Moreover, there are two ORs at Dr. Hafidz hospital and four at Cimacan Hospital that can be used.

Most of the patients suffer from head injuries and fractures, and they need surgical procedures. With 15 rooms available, Budi said it is enough to treat all of them.

"Actually 15 rooms is enough. If each OR targets 10 procedures. It means, 150 patients can be operated on in a day," Budi explained.

"Therefore, for 334 patients affected by the Cianjur earthquake, (the surgeries) can be done in three to four days."

Medicines and surgical equipment needed are reportedly sufficient. The additional logistics also have been sent by the Ministry of Health to each hospital.

"Well, it happens that all the logistics are delivered already. So, all the medicines, the necessary surgical tools are already available. We, the Ministry of Health, we focus on sick people, so that (they) can recover quickly," Budi Gunadi Sadikin continued.

The Ministry of Health mobilized health logistics such as 6×12 meter frame tents, velbed, Health Emergency Operation Center (HEOC) operational kits, medicines, masks, and children's masks.

Also available are Personal Protective Equipment (APD) such as oxygen concentrators, antigen kits, emergency kits, handscoons, body bags, adult and child pampers, environmental health packages, and family kits.

The Ministry of Health has mobilized a number of health workers from different corps. There are 22 health workers and one ambulance from the regional police health corps, and 26 health workers and three ambulances from the Harbor Health Office.

Hasan Sadikin Bandung Hospital is ready to send a team and prepare an Emergency Room (ER) to take care of patients from Cianjur. Meanwhile, the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) has sent three surgeons, one medical team, and an ambulance.

There are three orthopedic surgeons coming from the Indonesian Orthopaedic Association (PABOI), and then there are five officers from the 119 Public Safety Center (PSC).

Writer: Adelina Wahyu Martanti

Fitri Haryanti Harsono contributed to this report.