Indonesia races to restore healthcare in disaster-hit Sumatra

 Indonesia’s Health Ministry has delivered 80 percent of essential medical equipment to disaster-affected areas in Sumatra, underscoring the government’s push to restore healthcare services disrupted by the floods and landslides that devastated the region.

The ministry’s director for pharmaceuticals and medical devices, Lucia Rizka Andalusia, said on Monday that supplies have reached hospitals and primary healthcare facilities, including public health centers (puskesmas).

“We must ensure full operations immediately—meaning hospitals can resume all services, including surgeries,” she noted.

The effort combines new deliveries with repairs to damaged equipment, supported by donations from multiple stakeholders.

The Sumatra disaster in late 2025 and early 2026 was one of Indonesia’s deadliest recent calamities, with floods, flash floods, and landslides across Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra leaving more than 1,190 people dead, 143 missing, and over 131,000 displaced.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin announced that the government aims to have all healthcare facilities in the affected regions fully operational by March 2026.

Key challenges include replacing thousands of patient beds destroyed by mud and repairing ambulances rendered unusable.

The ministry has approached automobile companies for assistance and opened donation channels to secure critical devices such as X-ray machines.

Beyond medical infrastructure, the Health Ministry is working with the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) to renovate homes of healthcare workers impacted by the disaster, ensuring they can continue serving communities effectively.

This coordinated response highlights Indonesia’s broader commitment to resilience—restoring essential services swiftly while mobilizing partnerships to safeguard public health in the wake of disaster.